Call me Immortal
by Amethystfairy1
Summary: Yao has received an offer. Him? A full fledged agent of an esteemed espionage organization? There is one drawback, he must graduate and leave the Academy behind. Yao makes the move into a base of dull monotone. When he receives a call that Morgan is far from dead, he has a choice, keep his agent hood or risk it all to save that now far away world of red and black he's homesick for?
1. The pains of music

**_I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!_**

 ** _Did you miss the spectacular stories of the amazing Amethyst?_**

 ** _Yeah...I may be getting a bit full of myself, feel free to knock me down a few pegs._**

 ** _Call us Hetalia, installment five, is ready for launch at long last!_**

 ** _Not at long last, what as it been since Call me Magic? A month? Oh well, who cares!_**

 ** _Please enjoy!_**

* * *

"AII-YAH!"

Yao dove to one side of the hallway, barely dodging the blubbering italian that had just gone sprinting by full tilt in retreat.

"GERMANY! GERMANY SAVE ME!"

"And yet Ludwig is no where near here." Yao grumbled, as he got to his knees, he'd had to full on throw himself to dodge Feliciano.

"STAY AWAY FROM OUR BASE!"

Vash was close behind him and Yao groaned, shoving a dumpling in his mouth as he brought his feet under himself.

"That's the third time this week, aru. Feli is such an idiot..." He grumbled as he continued down the hall, still chewing on his dumpling.

Yao was currently in his classroom uniform and taking his time on his way to his next class.

He glanced down when a giggling nine year old in a mossy green coat that starkly contrasted with the red and black norm of the school came scampering into sight.

Aurel went running around the corner, still bubbling with laughter.

Valentin came running down the hall a moment later, donning his own classroom uniform identical to Yao's, then he leaned on his knees in front of Yao to catch his breath.

"He went left, aru." Yao commented, briefly removing the dumpling from his mouth.

"T-Thanks. I keep telling him not to come up into the halls during the school hours but he doesn't listen." Valentin stood up and renewed his pursuit of his younger brother.

Yao looked after him skeptically.

 _You think that one is hard. You should try five at the same time._

Yao returned on his walk, his footsteps echoed through the empty hall.

 _Hmm...ever since that fiasco he caused last week. Wait, has it even been a week? No, not even, it's only been about four days. Feels like longer. Valentin's still been on pins and needles with everyone. I suppose that enough people have accepted him well enough. I understand his younger brother being so clingy, he went from being alone, away from his brother or anyone who cared about him for a month, and then he actually thought that Valentin had abandon him for a while. It's a very interesting situation._

A few moments of Yao lost in silent pondering later Feliciano and Vash both came running back up, skidding around the corner as Yao took his sweet time, he stared at them in confusion.

They were both being dragged by the wrist by Lilli.

"H-Hey! What is this, aru? Where are you in such a rush to get too?"

Lilli didn't stop in her run, still dragging her brother and the brown haired italian.

"Yao! You forgot too? Today is Wednesday!" She wailed before racing off down the hall again, the scarlet ribbons of her uniform dress clashed horribly with the purplish blue bow in her hair.

Yao finished off his dumpling, watching as they fled down the hall.

 _Now what is so important about Wednesday?_

Yao wracked his memory.

"Aii-yah...it was something I feel like I should know..."

Yao scrunched his golden eyes shut and frowned.

 _Oh crap._

His golden eyes flew open a moment later and he nearly choked on the remainder of his dumpling.

"Orchestra restarted this week! Aii-yah! Wait for me, aru!"

Yao took off after his fellow musicians.

 ** _The Orchestra hall._**

Yao noted he wasn't the only one who'd gotten the memo late that the orchestra's practices were finally resuming after the calamity that was the micro nations initiation.

 _Being held hostage was not exactly how I had intended to spend my evening in the city with the rest of the performers. And we got saved by a bunch of immature little kids. Ridiculous._

Yao leaned on his knees panting as the musicians began to filter into the room in various degrees of rushed panic.

"Made it! I'm here, I'm here!" Alfred cried out as he came running into the room, trumpet in hand, in which all of the members of the orchestra had now gathered.

Wisteria sat in her chair, kicking her feet with Hercules snoring away, leaning on his chimes a few rows behind her.

"I'm so exciting we're continuing the orchestra, for a little while I was scared that the music wouldn't continue because of Morgan's attack on us."

Wisteria commented, putting a hand to her hand, her curly side ponytail bobbed with the motion.  
Gilbert came tearing from the opposite end of the stage and randomly scooped her out of her chair bridal style, throwing an unprepared Wisteria into the air, she dropped and he extended his arms, catching her again.

"OY! What's this for, lunkhead!?" She demanded flailing her arms as she went air born again.

"Stop being such a worrier! You're thirteen! You shouldn't be so concerned about everything so young, it's so un-awesome of you!" Gilbert shouted.

"I can't help being worried when I'm worried!" Wisteria cried, glancing to the side when Gilbird swooped up next to her, chirping and flapping his tiny wings before she dropped into the german's arms again.

Gilbert's face suddenly cracked into a psychotic grin.

"Hey, America! Go long!" He shouted.

"What!? NO! NO! DON'T!"

Wisteria shrieked throwing her arms up before Gilbert hefted her into the air again as if she weighed nothing.

Alfred laughed his usual deafening way and backpedaled, Wisteria landed squarely in his grasp.

"Put me down! I'm not something for you to play catch with!"

Wisteria wailed, drumming her fists against Alfred's chest but seeming to have little effect.

"But you're so small and easy to throw!" Alfred exclaimed, a bright grin exposing his perfectly straight, pearly white teeth.

"Even so!" Wisteria pouted.

"Also I am not that small!" She continued her protest

"How tall are you?" The american countered.

"I'm 5 foot 1!" Wisteria declared proudly.

"I'm 6 foot 2! Perfect hero size, and that makes you super tiny." Alfred winked and stuck his tongue out at her teasingly.

"Am not!" Wisteria cried indignantly.  
"Are too! And off you go!" Alfred took a running start and flexed his arms.

"AHHHH!"

Wisteria found herself flying though the air again and, yet again, being caught with ease.

By Ivan.

Cradled in the massive russians arms, Wisteria felt particularly dwarfed.

"Please just put me down..." She moaned.

"Of course, tiny comrade." Ivan agreed easily.

"I am not tiny!" Wisteria insisted yet again.

Ivan set her down on her own two feet and loomed over her.

"I am sorry if you are not liking the term, but it is being very true. Do not worry, small one."

He patter her on the head with a gloved hand.

"You will be hitting the growth spurt soon. My little sister grew very quickly when she turned fourteen."

"BIG BROTHER!"

"And there she is...goodbye. LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"MARRY ME MARRY ME!"

Russia took off and Austria watched with growing disappointment as Natalya chased her brother around the stage, scattering the Baltic plus Poland gang, who were prepping their tuba's, or in Ravis's case, his viola. Li was sitting in his chair, on his cell phone, oboe laid across his lap. Emil was sitting next to him looking half asleep, and Lukas...

Lukas wasn't there.

Austria glanced over to Denmark, who was full on snoring, sprawled across several chairs.

"I assume Lukas is still recovering?"

Mathias snorted as he awoke, then rubbing his eyes, blinking.

"Sorry, repeat that." He requested as he came to his feet.

"Is Lukas still recovering?"

Mathias shrugged, eyes clear of any knowledge of the situation.

"He _should_ be, that doesn't mean he is. He probably will show up to watch. He can't play his xylophone with one good hand."

Roderich nodded.

"I wholeheartedly agree, I don't want him doing anything that would result in him being further injured."

"Who's injured?"

Came an airy voice from the side entrance to the stage.

Mathias slapped himself in the forehead, gritting his teeth.

"Told ya."

He grumbled, dropping his arm down to his side as Lukas came striding up onto the stage.

"What? Did you expect me to forget?" Lukas guessed, tilting his head to the side curiously.

"No, we expected you too...where's your sling?"

Mathias asked, sure enough, Lukas's left arm hung free at his side, instead of being supported with a sling.

"I took it off." Lukas responded easily, straightening his head to look his taller teammate head on.

Mathias groaned, gripping two fistfuls of his own spiky blonde hair.

"You're like a little kid! Professor Ancient Greece said you needed to wear it for another week _at least!_ "

Lukas gave Mathias a blank stare.

"I don't want to wear it for another week. I feel fine. The injury's a little sore, that's it."

Mathias pushed Lukas back towards the stairs.

"Go back to the base and put the sling back on."

Lukas appeared to be irritated and locked his heels down to prevent from behind pushed further away.

"I am sick and tired of just sitting around healing. I want to practice with the rest of you."

"You can't go playing your xylophone with both hands, moving your shoulders will just make your injury more sore! You could even tear the stitches!"

Lukas turned to face Mathias.

Mathias knew from experience that Lukas would have crossed his arms, but at the moment the bullet wound that was above his collarbone was restricting such a movement.

"You do realize a bullet went _clear_ through your body less then a week ago, right?"

Lukas rolled his violet eyes.  
"Thanks for the reminder." He grumbled drily, as if he needed help remembering that hellish night he'd spent in a dreary, semi-conscious state while the Professor's had worked to save his life from the bullet that Morgan had fired, which had pierced him dangerously close to his heart.

"Most people would still be in bed!"

Mathias argued his point.

"I'm not most people."

Lukas replied simply.

"You sure as hell aren't, you're way more stubborn then anyone I've ever met."

Mathias grumbled, crossing his arms and turning his nose up at his best friend.

Roderich stepped up.

"Lukas, I honestly do not think it would be the best idea for you to participate." He said earnestly.

Lukas fixed him with the same blank stare.

"I'm fine." He insisted.

Mathias shook his head, lowing his gaze back onto the shorter Nordic.

"Do I have to walk you all the way back to the base and make you put that sling back on? If Professor Ancient Greece catches you she'll have your head."

Lukas slumped his shoulders.

"I'm staying to watch." He grumbled before shuffling from the stage like a child who'd just been told he was too short to go on an amusement park ride.

Mathias shook his head at Lukas as he moved to take up his cymbals.

"And I thought he'd be mature enough to just stay in the base and rest. He insisted on coming to class even when Headmaster told him to stay in the base and rest. He's too stubborn for his own good."

Roderich shrugged, rolling his shoulders and shaking out his arms to loosen himself up as he strode with an air of leadership and confidence to the front of the stage.

"Ok, everyone, let's get warmed up, we haven't practiced in a while, but don't worry, I'm sure the music will come right back to us."

Everyone took their spots, and at least they remembered how to hold their different instruments.

Yao settled onto his stool at the back of the stage, leaning forward and settling his fingers on the strings of his harp, looking up at Roderich, waiting for his direction.

Roderich raised his baton.

"One, two, one, two, three!"

Lukas, who'd taken a seat in the front row of the hall, winced when an eruption of discord greeted his ears.

Roderich lowered his baton and slapped himself in the face with a moan, the confident air crumbling under the overwhelming odds.

"This is going to be a long practice."

Emil lowered his drumsticks and looked up at Roderich.

"I don't think we'll be able to head to the city right away."

He pointed out, gesturing one drumstick.

Roderich nodded.

"Unfortunately. Lucky for us we weren't invited this year."

"Probably because we screwed up the city hall last year." Alfred exclaimed, waving his trumpet, grinning.

Roderich tapped his baton on the side of his conductors stand and everyone quieted again.

"Ok, let's just try it from the top, keep pressing forward and try to sync with each other. One...two...one, two, three..."

Yao ran his fingers over his strings and he himself knew he was quite out of practice, compared to the uneven blaring of Alfred's trumpet, things weren't sounding to good.

 _Aii-yah...Roderich was right...this IS going to be a long practice._

* * *

 ** _Amethyst: I tried. I promised myself I wouldn't do this until summer vacation. But then I got a lot better grades in school and..._**

 ** _Yao: Here I am, aru._**

 ** _Amethyst: Shush. You know you've been wanting a story to yourself._**

 ** _Yao: I have, aru!_**

 ** _Amethyst: Well, here you go._**

 ** _Yao: So this is about me, aru?_**

 ** _Amethyst: You were the first character to appear, weren't you?_**

 ** _Yao: That doesn't always mean I'll be the main character, aru!_**

 ** _Amethyst: The cover image IS you._**

 ** _Yao: Ok, can't argue with that._**

 ** _Amethyst: Also...welcome back to the sign off room! *Waves arms around*_**

 ** _Yao: It's been a month and you still neglected to install a functioning door._**

 ** _Amethyst: Pssh, I've been busy. Hey, when you guys review, drop in your predictions for what this story is gonna be about! I wanna know what you guys think is gonna happen!_**

 ** _Yao: Anyway, favorite, follow and review! It's installment five of Call us Hetalia, get ready for our next adventure! Hope to see you all in the next chapter, aru! *Waves*_**


	2. Recommendation

**_Please enjoy the next chapter! Also, thanks a lot, I recognize so many of you returning to continue reading this series, and it means so much that you come back time and again to read these continuing crazy chaotic adventures! I really appreciate it!_**

* * *

 ** _Hallway leading to the bases._**

"That went well, huh, Onii-san?" Mei Mei chirped as she skipped along, a smile painted across her face.

Yao looked over at her wearily, "Alfred tripped over his own feet and caused a domino effect all up the brass section, aru. It took us fifteen minutes to disentangle all the tubas and the people trapped inside them. Toris was nearly crushed."

Mei giggled, "I know! Wasn't it funny?"

Yao shook his head at her, "I worry about you sometimes."

Mei Mei shrugged.

"Hey! Hey! Aniki Aniki!" Came another shout.

"What?" Yao irritatedly turned his head to the other side to look at Yong Soo.

"You sounded great! It's like you'd been practicing every day, da-ze!"

Yao looked skeptic, raising an eyebrow, "If you say so, aru. How is your shoulder?"

Yong Soo tossed his arms into the air. "I said I was fine, da-ze! It wasn't that big a deal!"

Hyung Soo groaned, "You got crushed under a big slab of rubble. When I found you I nearly had a heart attack thinking we wouldn't get you out in time."

"Not crushed, trapped! There is a difference! If I was crushed I'd have been smushed all flat." Yong Soo slapped his palms into each other and rubbed them together to make a point.

"Please do not go into detail. We were all extremely worried for your safety." Kiku spoke.

"I love you too, da-ze!"

Yong Soo pounced on Kiku excitedly, wrapping his arms around his older brother and burying his face in the crook of the japanese boys neck.

"Please get off of me." Kiku asked of him politely, squirming, yet failing to extract himself from the embrace.

"Li, how was it trying to play with one hand?" Mei Mei turned to the youngest of the family.

Li shrugged awkwardly, his right arm was still confined to a cast, and his shoulder was rather battered.

"I don't think it, like, made a difference compared to how, like, totally terrible we all sounded as a whole." Li sighed in disappointment.

"Wow, waita be optimistic." Hyung Soo grumbled, crossing his arms.

"You're, like, one to talk." Li snickered.

"SHUT UP!" Hyung Soo roared, shaking a fist at his younger brother.

Yao realized they were coming up on the Allies base.

"I'll see you all in the mess hall at dinner, aru!"

He called as he moved over to the door.

"Later." Li said, waving as Yao pushed open the door to the base.

He stepped over the lip of the door and closed it behind him.

Between the superman throw blankets, quilts that Natalya had made in sewing club for her brother, the Hello Kitty pillows, the half finished crochet projects courtesy of Arthur, and the multiple discarded fashion magazines and padlocks for lock picking practice that Francis always forgot to pick up everywhere, it was rather disorganized messiness all about.

Yao mounted the ladder and climbed up, walking down the catwalk, he opened the door to his room and went inside, closing the door behind him.

He flopped face first onto the red sheets, groping around until he felt something soft and drawing it towards him.

He hugged his stuffed panda as he rolled over, kicking his feet in the air above him.

"My fingers are gonna fall off, aru..." He moaned, his fingers stung from the hours they'd spent strumming the harp strings.

His room was a mix of hello kitty posters, oriental dragon and old kung fu movie posters, plus some of his artwork.

And and two small framed photos, one was on the corner of his desk, and was of himself getting basically dog piled by all of his younger siblings.

Kiku was standing behind him looking up at him curiously.

Yes, up.

This was taken years ago, back when Yao was still over a head in height taller then all of his family. Yong Soo was on his back, Mei Mei was clinging to his leg, he had one arm wrapped around a tiny Li, and Hyung Soo was standing next to Kiku with a look of awe on his face at the amount of people that had managed to climb onto his oldest brothers back.

The other was on his bedside table, and was much more recent. All of them in mission uniform in front of the dojo doors, arm in arm, smiling, some wider then others, but they were all smiling.

He laid back there for a while longer, kicking his feet in the air in a rhythm, enjoying the quiet all around him for once, when the speaker crackled to life.

"Wang Yao, report to Headmaster Empire's office. Wang Yao, report to Headmaster Empire's office."

Yao chuckled his panda across the room in fury, it bounced off of the mirror attached to the pocket door of the closet.

"What did those idiots do now, aru!?" He demanded to no one.

Normally when he was summoned by their superior, it was because someone on his team had screwed something up.

He dragged himself up and shuffled out of his room, slid down the ladder rungs, and headed back out of the Allies's base.

 ** _Headmaster Rome's office._**

Rome glanced up at the knock on the door.

"Come in!" He called as he set down his pen.

Yao pushed the door open and closed it behind him, surprise when the guilty faces of some of his teammates weren't present.

A befuddled look crossed golden eyes as he edged inside.

 _If it's not something the others did, and it's not a new mission, then why would he call me here?_

Rome gestured to the chair in front of his desk. Yao took that to mean that he should sit, and did so, pulling at the collar of his uniform's jacket.

"Yao, I need to discuss something important with you."

Yao looked even more confused, and yet his curiosity had now doubled, he folded his hands in his lap and did his best to look politely puzzled as to the important things that required discussion.

"You've been serving here for almost four years now. You'll be twenty soon. I know originally you intended to take a full seven year term and then continue working for our small organization, but I've had something come up for you that could be the chance of your lifetime."

Yao's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He hadn't been expecting something of this nature.

"Really, aru?" Was all he could think of to say.

"Indeed. The Organization of Elite Espionage, or OEE, has put out a request for young recruits with fairly decent educations."

Yao wilted at the mention of 'fairly decent'.

"I know my grades are not the best, but I really do try, aru. I'm just more suited for combat then classrooms."

Rome nodded, a smile coming onto his face. He wove his fingers together and leaned forward, resting his chin on his fingers, and his elbows on his desk.

"I hope you don't mind that I've taken the liberty of recommending you for the position."

Yao's jaw dropped shamelessly.

"W-What? Me!? But aren't there better operatives here that you could send? W-What about Hercules? O-Or Gupta?"

Rome snickered.

"You need to give yourself more credit. While I agree you aren't the best in class, that's only because you're an average student among geniuses with ridiculous I.Q's and incredible memories. But no one can beat you once you get to the dojo. Except Gojosen, of course."

Yao sighed, "I can't last five minutes against him, aru."

Rome shook his head with that same well wishing smile upon his face.

"We're getting off topic here. I can still revoke the recommendation, but I honestly think this would be for the best. This would be a steady job, steady income as well. Like landing in a lifetime career on your very first employment."

Yao looked uncomfortable, "But what about my siblings, aru?"

"We'll take good care of them." The Headmaster assured.

"And the Allies won't burn the school down without me to keep them sane, aru?"

The former Ancient Academy trainee crossed his arms, leaning back his his extremely high backed chair, "I can handle them."

Yao frowned, he was most definitely doubtful about that. Especially after the way he'd had to hush up everyone to keep his team out of trouble from how Alfred had nearly blown up the whole school with his overly 'patriotic', as the american had put it, fireworks display that past independence day.

Rome took a moment before speaking again, "So, what do you think? It would be no issue for me to revoke the recommendation. Know I do not wish to force you into anything, no pressure, it's your choice."

Yao hesitated.

"Did I mention it's one of the top three organizations in the world? Also it's in New York City." Rome slid this information into Yao's already buzzing mind.

"Really? And they want me, aru?"

Rome nodded.

Yao bit his lower lip for a moment.

 _Just think how many others here he could have chosen to send. To represent him and our own organization. He chooses me. Out of the best young operatives from literally around the world, he chooses me._

The chinese student then steeled his eyes, fisting his hands in his lap.

"I'll do it!" He declared.

Rome felt partly elated that Yao felt ready for the big move, he also felt partly saddened to be losing such a trustworthy operative and student.

 ** _Three days later._**

Yao had packed all of his things, told his team and his siblings what was going on, and had taken two days worth of both mental and physical final exams.

He'd passed the physical exams with flying colors, combat, strength for his weight, speed and agility, he had it all. He'd managed to scrape just barely by in his classroom tests, and by barely, he really meant barely, he was lucky Professor Britannia hadn't been grading, because if it weren't for Ancient Greece's willingness to overlook a few mistakes, he'd still be sitting in a classroom right at that moment.

With or without those troubles, Yao had passed his exams all the same.

Now he was outside the airport, wearing a plain white tee shirt and green canvas jacket with jeans and sneakers, with his siblings all flitting around trying to make sure he had everything and making him promise to visit and not die. Yao was pretty sure they were causing a scene, so many people coming to see a single person off, but he didn't care what any of the passing masses thought.

His former team had insisted on coming along as well, and Yao had to suffer through bear hugs from Francis and Alfred, a stuttering thanks and goodbye from Matthew, who'd never thanked him for all of the help Yao had given him back when he'd first initiated to the academy, and when it came Ivan's turn, the russian surprised them.

He patted Yao on the head with a gloved hand and said.

"You are not the allowed to be dying or getting the hurt, or else they people who have hurt you will be getting a visit from my pipe, da?"

Yao gave a humored huff and flailed an overly long sleeve in Ivan's face.

"I can take care of myself, aru! I am older then you all, remember?"

Ivan patted him on the head again, as if to contradict this point with how he towered over his former teammate.

"Da, I know. Please be safe, comrade Yao."

Alfred popped up.

"Just be super careful, dude! Shoot us a text or call us when you get there, ok? And if you're ever in a jam, it's once an Ally, always an Ally! Ring us up, we'll be there in a heartbeat for you, my man!"

He cried, seizing Yao by the shoulders and shaking him.

Yao freed himself from the grasp, but returned the friendly gesture with a flick in the forehead.

It just wasn't his style to be affectionate towards the american that had always caused him so much trouble.

Not to mention is blatant disrespect for Hello Kitty.

"I will, I will." Yao promised despite the flick that Alfred was now rubbing his forehead to recover from.

"But please don't randomly show up there, aru. At least give me a little warning." Yao ordered then.

"With our luck? We'll give you a ring about two minutes before we come crashing through the window in a tangles mess of grappling hooks and goons to fight off." Arthur commented bluntly.

"Mon dieu! Don't underestimate us, black sheep! We'll give him _at least_ five minutes." Francis exclaimed dramatically, whilst winking at Yao.

Yao rolled his eyes at the frenchman.

"And make sure to call every week at least!" Mei Mei piped up.

"If I can I'll call everyday, aru." Yao said as he hugged his sister.

"Like, don't do anything stupid, alright?" Li spoke, for once his phone was no where in sight and, with his arm in a cast from his adventures on the last and final Morgan mission, he seemed to be even more alert then usual.

"When was the last time I did something stupid that didn't involve that one, aru?"

Yao asked jokingly, jacking a thumb at Alfred.

"Hey! We're just trying our best to wish you good luck and don't get killed!" Alfred cried.

Yao waved a hand at him nonchalantly, "It'll probably be a month or more before I even get to do any field work, aru. Once I find out I've got a spot on a mission, I'll let you know."

Kiku edged up behind Yao.

"Please be safe, Onii-san." He murmured.

Yao looked over his shoulder at Kiku, surprised.

Then he threw his arms around Kiku's shoulders.

"My little brother is so adorable, aru!"

"Please get off."

Yong Soo pounced on Yao's back.

"We'll miss you! Come back for a visit as soon as you can, da-ze!" The korean cried out.

Yao chuckled and patted Yong Soo on the back.

"I will, alright? I have to go, aru. I'll miss my flight if we stand around out here for much longer." Yao said.

Hyung Soo forcibly dragged his twin off of his oldest brothers back.

"I'm not gonna say anything." He said, looking at the older with a stern gaze.

"I know, aru. I'll be careful, like I said." Yao insisted before he slung his backpack over his shoulder and lifted his suitcase.

"Goodbye!" He waved as he walked into the gate.

He took a mental picture of all of them waving him off, the last time in what felt like an eternity that he would see a piece of that dazzling world of red and black that had been his home for so long, it would be important to him, and he would hold closely to that memory.

The boarding was quick, and soon enough the plane was taking off. He looked out the window, his eyes scanning the shrinking view, and saw the wonderful sight he'd been searching for.

There is was, Hetalia Academy, standing dramatically tall on the cliffs edge, overlooking the hundred foot fall to the oceans below, with it's twin spires reaching up as if to capture the clouds above in it's grasp.

 _Reach for the skies, exactly what we were always taught...I wonder, by accepting this job, have I finally gripping the clouds in my hands?_

Yao felt a slight heat behind his eyes, gazing out longingly, wondering what he'd be doing at that moment if he'd turned the Headmaster's request down. If he'd reacted rashly, without thought, and yelped out a quick 'No way!' instead of that thought out minute before his eventual acceptance.

Would he be in the dojo with Professor Gojosen? Chasing Alfred through the halls? Having a mealtime of rice balls, lo mien, and sushi with his family? Playing his harp in an Orchestra practice? Struggling through Professor Britannia's calculus class?

Yao frantically he shook his head quickly and rubbed his eyes clear.

 _I had some of the best years of my life there. It's not like I'll never see the place again either. I've got five graduations to attend, after all. Not even bothering to count the rest of the Allies._

Yao leaned back in his chair, settling in for the ride, and thinking back on the conversation he'd had with the Headmaster, or, as he was now supposed to address him, Mr. Empire, that morning.

 ** _That morning._**

Yao was yet again in the Headmaster's office, and this was the first time he was in the room wearing colors other then red and black.

Rome was in the same place, in his high backed chair, "I need you to remember something very important before you leave, Yao. You're graduation from the school comes with several rules that you must abide by, for the good of not only our academy, but you as well."

"Of course, sir. What are they, aru?"

Yao was eager to comply, it made him feel better leaving when he knew he was still going to be able to protect a tiny piece of the academy, that, ever since his initiation almost four years past, he'd been carrying inside of him.

Rome fixed Yao with a look that held all the seriousness that the air of the conversation did.

"Your final mission for the academy is to use this cover. You were trained in a secret espionage organization in China. You lived in the U.S on and off. Hetalia Academy doesn't exist, and if you ever happen to find any evidence of our existence at your new organization, make quick work of removing or editing it. Understand? It is your choice of where your loyalties will lie, especially with how long you could be working for the OEE. But..."

Rome halted when Yao interrupted.

"My loyalties will always lie here, with the academy and with you. Whether I call you Headmaster or not."

Rome smiled softly, "I have to admit, I'm going to miss you. You were one of the best this academy has ever seen."

Yao's eyes widened. Being compared to ' _the best_ ' of the academy meant being compared to the likes of Professor Ancient Greece, Professor Ancient Egypt, Professor Gojosen, who had taught Yao just about everything he knew about hand to hand, and it also meant being compared to the Headmaster himself.

It meant being compared to Rooke Morgan, former operative Portugal, also known as Carthage, who was killed in the final Morgan mission.

Yao felt his mind run away when he imagined students ten years down the road talking about the academies greats, and his name coming up with the tales of his illegal assistance in the first Morgan Mission, his work in the initiations of the first accidental and underaged students of the academy, and of his brave service in the final Morgan mission, the part he'd played in ousting one of the academies most dangerous foes from existence.

 _Rome, Carthage, Germania, Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt, Britannia, Gojosen, Native America and..._

 _China?_

"Thank you." Yao said, feeling honored.

"Good. And one more thing, you've got just one more test to pass. I believe you know what it is."

Yao looked at him funny, tilting his head sideways slightly, "You mean...oh no."

Rome grinned evilly, "It's how you got in, now it's how you've got to get out."

Thus, Yao had found himself yet again facing the training arena at full force, except this time he wasn't a terrified, confused sixteen year old that had just awoken from being kidnapped from his family home, this time, he was honed and prepared. A well trained student of Hetalia Academy.

"Go!" Rome called.

The arena burst to life and Yao instantly had to duck to one side to dodge a flying disk, which shattered upon impact with the wall behind him.

Yao sprinted around the edge of the arena, and when he saw a wall coming up out of the ground beneath him he dove directly over it, rolling across the ground and coming to his feet again. Another wall erupted from the dirt with a low rumbling noise and he jumped up, planting his foot on the wall, he pushed off hard and sent his body moving at an angle, around the edge of the wall, just brushing it with his shoulder. Yao ducked and wove in erratic patterns to, hopefully, confuse the firing arms scanners, all the while jumping random walls.

Another disk was shooting directly towards him and Yao spun back on his heel, caught the disk, and threw it back at the firing arm. It was thrown with such accuracy that it wedged itself into the exit shaft of the disks, causing the entire arm to be put out of commission.

"Never seen that one before! You go, dude!" Alfred called, cheering on his teammate for what he knew would be the final time, for, after that day, Yao wouldn't be a member of the Allies's anymore.

Yao was internally shocked that the disk throw had even worked, he thought he'd miss the entire arm, but today it seemed luck was on his side.

That is, until his foot hit the ground, and he heard a small click.

The entire arena grew silent.

"AII-YAH!"

They all had known it was coming, the mine exploded and Yao was sent hurtling into the air, the combination of his small size and equally light weight caused him to go flying in a slow arc into the air.

Every head in the crowd turned to follow as Yao, for the last time donning his red and black mission uniform, flailed his arms wildly and managed to right himself, midair. He came down to earth again and rolled across the ground, springing to his feet again and making a break for the exit door.

One of the disks finally managed to clip his retreating back and Yao stumbled, regained his balance, and tore into the exit tunnel.

"Finished!" He screamed.

The arena broke into wild applause, this time not for a new member to their ranks, but for a veteran of their cause that was going to be leaving them what felt like all to soon.

* * *

 ** _Entire Academy: CHINA!_**

 ** _Yao: Aii-yah! Why are you all yelling for me!?_**

 ** _Alfred: We're gonna miss you so much, buddy!_**

 ** _Yao: Well you can see me in the sign off room. Because we're all stuck here, aru. Now that you are all here, and the door is still nonexistent._**

 ** _Entire Academy: *Looks around for the door and doesn't see one*_**

 ** _Amethyst: Heh, heh, heh, sorry, guys, I totally forgot to get it installed. I'm also lying through my teeth I remembered I just didn't bother._**

 ** _Rome: So we're stuck in here again until the end of the story?_**

 ** _Amethyst: Yup._**

 ** _Entire Academy: CRAP! *Starts searching for an escape route*_**

 ** _Amethyst: Ok...well whatever. ICELAND I CHOOSE YOU!_**

 ** _Emil: *Jumps and stares at the author* What? You choose me? For what? This isn't pokemon!_**

 ** _Amethyst: Now it is! Use Puffin Blast!_**

 ** _Emil: Yeah, no. I don't have a Puffin Blast. Also you didn't tell me who to attack so even if I did have that I still wouldn't be doing anything._**

 ** _Amethyst: I know, I know, it would be funny if you did have a Puffin Blast. I actually just need you to sign off the chapter._**

 ** _Emil: Oh, that makes more sense. Ok. *turns to you* Hi readers, thanks for reading this chapter, please favorite, follow, and review! We hope you will continue to read!_**


	3. Time to get started

_**You may have noticed a lot of strange crazy uploads and deletions going on with Call me Magic. Yeah, I headed back and realized that I, yet again, somehow, forgot to post a chapter. Remember how Valentin just suddenly knew everyone without being introduced? Yeah, that's because the chapter about him being introduced to everyone was skipped and remained tucked away in my documents until now. It has been exposed to the light, the chapter named "Dinnertime" back over in Call me Magic is new! Please go read it if you feel like it! Or don't, it wasn't really important to the story so it won't give you any sort of dawning understanding, really, it's just Alfred insulting Hello Kitty again. Ok, please enjoy!**_

* * *

 ** _On the plane with Yao._**

Yao jolted into awareness when the plane touched down on the runway.

 _Wow, that was fast. Or perhaps I just slept through the whole ride._

He thought as he rubbed one eye sleepily and prepared to exit the flying transport.

Once he got off he set down his bags just inside the airport and pulled out his phone, calling Kiku.

A few rings later, the phone was answered.

"Hello?"

"Kiku, aru! It's Yao."

"Oh, good, I assume you have arrived in New York City, then?"

Yao looked around the airport.

"Yes, that's right. I figured I'd call you just after I got off the plane that way there would be no chance of me forgetting, aru."

"I appreciate it. Yong Soo has been asking me if you called every five minutes, oh, one moment."

Yao heard the phone being pulled away, then replaced at his younger brothers ear.

"Professor Britannia told me that if you were still a student she'd give you detention for disrupting class."

"Oh! Of course, I didn't even consider it, you're in mathematics, aren't you, aru?"

"Hai."

"Ok, well, get back to work then, I'll call you later. Make sure to let the oth...to let the Allies know that I made it safe, aru." Yao said as he lifted his suitcase again, shrugging his shoulders to get his backpack into a more comfortable position.

He'd corrected himself from saying 'other Allies' because, after all, he wasn't an Ally anymore.

"I will do that. Be careful."

Yao had expected the warning and rolled his eyes.

"You act like you think I'm dumb enough to walk into a minefield."

"Well..."

"Don't you dare finish, aru."

Kiku shifted the phone again with a soft chuckle.

"Professor Britannia just said she's going to break my cell phone in half if I don't finish soon, so...good luck, I suppose."

"Thanks, aru. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Yao hung up his phone and tucked it back into his pocket, he snickered when he thought of how his former Professor's face had most likely turned several different shades of red as her impatience and anger got the better of her.

The Chinese walked out of the exit to the gate and skimmed the multiple people with signs waiting for the ones they were here to pick up. He spotted a simple cardboard sign that had his own name written in simple block letters across it and made a beeline for that person holding it.

She had bright, almond shaped green eyes that sparkled with excitement, shoulder length wavy light brown hair with a green ribbon hairband. She was wearing a tan military dress that was rather short with matching tan pants beneath it. A thick black belt with a large silver buckle was high on her waist, and she had a black tie on with high black boots.

Her eyes were scanning the crowd eagerly, and Yao had a feeling he knew who she was looking for.

"Ni hao!" He called out, before internally berating himself for greeting her in Chinese. Then again, he often did that.

"Hello." He tried again as he neared.

She looked over at him and lowered the sign she was holding that had his name on it.

"You're Wang Yao?" She asked hopefully.

Yao nodded.

"I am, aru. And you are?"

She grinned enthusiastically.

"I'm Bella Abel! It's so nice to meet you."

Yao found her attitude to be incredibly cheerful as he followed along to where she said she'd parked the car she'd driven there in.

When they got to the parking lot, Bella took a moment to scan the lanes.

"Um...which one did I..."

Yao winced, he certainly didn't feel like spending his first hour in New York searching for a forgetful girl's car.

Thankfully, that would not be the case.

"Oh, yeah! Over here."

She lead the way to a sleek white sports car, and, after loading in Yao's luggage, Bella took the wheel and they drove off.

"So, where are you from? I can tell from your accent you aren't from around here, aru." Yao asked curiously.

Bella didn't take her eyes off of the road but still responded.

"I'm from Belgium. You're Chinese, right?"

"Yes, that's right, aru."

Bella giggled. "Do you say 'aru' all the time?"

Yao's shoulders slumped. "It's a tick I picked up when I learned to speak english. I can't really help it, aru."

Bella smiled. "Ok, it doesn't bother me. My brother has a really heavy accent so I can definitely understand a vocal tick."

Yao shrugged. "One of my closest friends has the heaviest accent I have ever heard. Not to mention he never really properly mastered english grammar so he's always overusing he same word or repeating himself several times without noticing, aru. I feel like after learning to speak with him, I could understand anyone."

"Huh, what do you mean he overuses words?" Bella posed this question at the statement.

Yao frowned, then tried his best Ivan impression, attempting a heavy russian accent like the one his friend bore. "I am being the very exciting to be being the getting to be knowing everyone, we will all be becoming the nice good friendly friends, da?"

Yao crossed his arms. "And that was the first thing he ever said to me, roughly, aru."

Bella stifled her laughter. "Aw, that's so cute."

"He's anything but cute, aru. Honestly he's more on the terrifying side." Yao mumbled.

They chatted a bit more on the ride before Yao brought up another thing.

"You seem young to be a veteran operative at the OEE." Bella shook her head.

"Oh, no, I'm as new as you are, I just got here last week! They sent me to pick you up because we're gonna be partners, plus we're sharing this two person apartment type thing."

"A base?"

The word slipped out before Yao could catch himself.

Bella glanced over to him in interest. "That's what you call it? Well, you were professionally trained, I suppose. Where at?"

Yao recalled his carefully rehearsed story. "An organized campground over in China, aru. It was more like a summer camp, with a mess building and a lot of outdoor training, but it lasted for four years, aru."

Yao smiled, and gracefully maneuvered the subject away from his education, his final mission, his final duty to the academy, he would serve it well. Yao had sworn he would always protect the place, he didn't not intend to break it.

 ** _The Organization of Elite Espionage._**

"Here we are!" Bella exclaimed.

Yao's jaw dropped slightly.

A sleek, modern complex sprawled out in front of the car, glass reflected the light, cold modern metal statues and fountains were set in symmetrical orders.

Yao felt a slight pang in his heart in remembrance.

This was, after all, a stark contrast to emerging from the heavily wooded upward climb to gaze up upon the majestic twin spires, and gothically inspired archways, stone and brick. Nothing could compare to that, in Yao's mind, but still, driving along this single, straight, narrow road outside the giant, buzzing center of the city was pretty impressive.

"Say, Yao, what did that place you trained at you were talking about look like?"

Yao knew well describing Hetalia Academy would set off some alarm bells, how many academies with spires and hallways upon hallways of abstract art were there that he could describe?

How many academies out there could truly compare to the one he'd been honored for four years to call home?

"Erm...oh! Who is that coming out towards us, aru?" Yao spotted someone walking out to meet the car and used him as a distraction.

Bella squinted.

"Oh! It's my big brother!"

She rolled down the window and leaned out.

"Big brother! Hi! I'm so happy you're back safe!" She called giddily, waving.

Her older brother was a towering young man with spiky blonde hair that reminded Yao strongly of a certain danish friend of his.

"Hello. Are you doing well?"

Bella had not been lying, Yao was able to pick up the heavy accent with ease.

"Who is this?"

Yao realized he was being addressed.

"Oh! I'm Wang Yao. Er, western way would be Yao Wang. I am Bella's new partner, as she's told me, aru."

A stern nod.

"I am Grant Abel." He greeted.

Yao nodded in response and Bella hurried to cut off the conversation.

"We're gonna head inside and I'll help Yao get all of his stuff to our base. Did you know that's what the apartment things are called?" Bella was practically sparkling.

Yao chuckled uncomfortably.

"I'm not sure if that's the widely accepted term, that's just what I was told to call them, aru." Yao mumbled as they bid farewell to Grant and Bella accelerated the car up to the gate, where she produced her agent I.D, and they were let in.

Yao looked around, the novelty of all this metal and glass had really worn off.

 _Everything seems very repetitive, I assume whoever designed this place had a taste in symmetric metalwork. It's awful cold looking, nothing warm or welcoming. Rather disappointing, really. At least theres a lot of grassy areas in between all this glass and steel._

Bella pulled the car into a parking garage and Yao exited the vehicle, he waited for Bella to unlock the trunk then reached in and put on his backpack, lifting his suitcase.

"The base is this way." She said.

Yao smirked at the way Bella had instantly begun to use that word to refer to what was to become their shared living space.

When they arrived, Yao was hit with his first burst of nostalgia.

The base was a smaller version of the one he'd lived in for four years back at the academy.

Yao scaled the ladder without invitation and called down.

"Which door is your room, aru?"

"The farthest one, the first one it yours."  
"Thanks."

Yao opened the door and entered the room, gazing around vaguely before tossing his backpack onto the twin bed.

"Smaller then home..." He murmured.

"Really? It's a lot bigger then my old room!"

Yao yelped and jumped, spinning around to see Bella standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame.

Yao stuttered hurriedly before calming.

"Y-Yeah, the rooms back home were a bit bigger, I'm only saying the bed was bigger, though, aru."

Bella nodded, easily accepting the answer and lingering in the doorway as he turned away and hefted up his suitcase from the floor where he'd dropped it, he unzipped the top part and drew out two small picture frames, he smiled fondly down at them and placed both on the bedside table.

Bella ambled into the room and Yao didn't object as he drew out his laptop bag and began to throw things into the drawers of the desk.

Bella walked up to the side table and looked at the two pictures.

Yao turned around when he heard her giggling.

"Aww...they're all so cute..." She smiled, gently taking up the older of the two pictures.

Yao took a step backwards and leaned back, taking a look at the picture to see which of the two she was referring to.

"I wish they all were still like that, aru. Wait..."

Yao tapped his chin.

"On second thought, no, I don't. I don't want to go through that again, aru."

"Who are they? You're cousins and siblings and stuff?"  
"No, they are all my younger siblings. I'm the oldest of six."

Bella gaped.

"That's a lot! No half siblings?"

Yao rolled his eyes.  
"No. We all have the same mother and father. They both passed away when I was thirteen and I had to take care of all of them, aru. A family friend pulled some strings that made sure we didn't get placed in an orphanage. I did my best to raise all of them."

"You RAISED them? How old is this picture?"

"The other one was taken this year, aru." He said distractedly, rooting through his tangle of chargers and power adapters.

Bella took up the other photo and recognized each of the young children from the old photo. Except they were all years older.

"They look to be my age."  
"The youngest is sixteen, aru."

"Oh, well I'm eighteen." Bella threw this small bit of information out.

Yao glanced back over at her.

"Oh? I'll be twenty next month."

Yao felt unexpectedly saddened when he realized that, instead of the giant birthday bash Alfred had promised, he'd be here in New York, far from his home and his family.

He sighed and shook his head, in the back of his mind noting that Bella had said she was going to leave and exited the room.

 _I act as if I'll never see them again, it's ridiculous, aru! I'll be sure to go visit them soon, that way I can get this silly nostalgia out of my head, I've only been gone for a day!_

Yao had soon unpacked most of his things from his suitcase and grumbled under his breath about a few things clearly shoved in by his teammates at the last minute.

Like a very long, thick red scarf he was likely to trip over if he ever wore, and a superman symbol covered throw blanket.

 _Little does everyone know that both Alfred and Ivan and very good with cloth...idiots...they know I'll never use these things._

Yao thought to himself, folding the throw blanket and tossing over the back of his desk chair, and, after looking around the room for a moment, hanging the scarf on the hook protruding from the back of the door.

After unloading all of his clothes, mostly just causal clothes he had from whenever he didn't wear his academy uniform, he noticed something else within his suitcase, folded and rolled tightly.

Frowning, Yao poked the item, he didn't recall packing that.

Suspicious, Yao lifted the rolled black thing and unfurled it.

His mouth dropped open.

 _How did this even get in here!?_

He cried out inside of his mind before quickly shooting a glance back over his shoulder, thankful Bella wasn't there to see it.

Scowling, Yao felt the strong urge to stuff the garment back into the suitcase but halted at the last second, closing his eyes, he exhaled slowly, and then looked back up at the outfit he held at arms length by the collar.

"Who was it, aru? Alfred? Yong Soo?" Yao grumbled under his breath as he spun on his heel and kicked the door shut, then flung the article of clothing onto the bed with vigor, the silky cloth crumpling into a wrinkled pile.

 _Don't they realize I'm trying to forget!? It's like they're trying to make me remember! To hold on! I don't want to!_

Yao stormed over to the closet and began to rummage around through it for nothing in particular. After a few moments in which his hands moved racks of clothing back and forth with no real purpose, the former academy student noticed, from the corner of his eye, a small slip of paper.

Yao snatched it from the ground, expecting his brothers untidy scrawl, or perhaps Alfred's ridiculous penmanship, bedazzled with stars and unnecessary spirals.

Yao was surprised when the writing was none of the above.

Instead, a neat, curved cursive was printed across the paper in neat lines.

 _Just in case._

 _Rome._

Yao swallowed the quickly building lump in his throat. Now he was really starting to become homesick. He gasped when he realized that the Headmaster's gift to him was still thrown, as if unwanted, onto the bed.

He darted over as fast as his feet could carry him to the bed and snatched up the crumpled thing, shaking it free of wrinkles, he carefully hung it in the very back of his closet, hidden away from prying eyes.

Once he had finished in this task, Yao turned towards the door and took a deep breath.

 _New life. Time to get started._

* * *

 ** _Bella: Hi everyone! *Waves*_**

 ** _Amethyst: I have been saving your character away for a time of greatest need and now you are here! So welcome!_**

 ** _Yao: Aii-yah, still dramatic, aru._**

 ** _Amethyst: Shut up. If I wasn't dramatic you wouldn't be here right now. *Sticks tongue out*_**

 ** _Yao: I wonder why I wish you weren't that dramatic then._**

 ** _Bella: So, I'm kinda new to this whole thing, so let me know what you'd like to see from me! I wanna be able to please all of your readers!_**

 ** _Amethyst: Yao, why not give Bella a good demonstration for a sign off?  
_**

 ** _Bella: *Whips out notebook and pen to take notes*_**

 ** _Yao: You are WAY to eager to please._**

 ** _Bella: I can't help it! I'm sorry!  
_**

 ** _Yao: Never mind it. Ok! Please favorite, follow, and review all of you out there, aru! Thank you for reading!_**


	4. New Instructor

**_Sorry that took so long! I've been working on this story quite a bit, plus I posted another Nordic idea "Deadly Truth" I'd appreciate it if you'd go check it out!_**

* * *

 ** _Outside Mr. Baldwin's office._**

Mr. Baldwin was a shrewd appearing man that reminded Yao strongly of someone very disturbing.

He was a mirror image of Rooke Morgan, just shorter, balder, and with a temper hotter then the sun.

Yao had just barely scraped through his meeting with the man, taking the small I.D card that showed him to be a member of the organization.

Yao recalled the man grumbling, almost to himself.

"Some random contact I was told to trust sent me nothing but a wimpy kid?"

Yao had strongly wanted to protest his being called wimpy, but he knew better then to speak out against his new boss on his very first day.

Now that that was, thankfully, all over with, Yao found himself met with Bella outside the door.

"Hey, Yao! How'd it go with old Baldy?"

Yao stiffened visibly.

"B-Baldy?" He hissed.

Bella snickered as they walked away down the hall, Yao prayed they were out of firing range, he'd seen the racks of pistols on that mans wall, after all.

"Yeah, everyone around here calls him that. It's a wonder he hasn't been overthrown yet, everyone around here seems to hate him."

Yao shuddered yet again at the similarities in appearance between his new superior and his former archenemy.

At least Morgan was dead and gone, Yao didn't have to worry about him.

Bella smiled at him.

"Wanna go over to the dojo? I'll bet you'll like it."

Yao brightened up at the prospect.

"Sure, aru!"

 ** _The OEE dojo._**

Yao felt more then at home now, a soft smile on his face as he looked around at the mats laid out neatly, the punching bags hung up. The place was mostly empty, save for a single hulking brute of a man who seemed to have a personal vendetta against the punching bag he was attacking.

Yao stared at him for several moments before turning and whispering to Bella.  
"Who's the meathead, aru?"

Bella snickered at the comment.

"That's Warren, he's the big tough guy around here. No ones ever beaten him in hand-to-hand."

Yao raised an eyebrow, then glanced back over at the massive man.

"Hmm..." He hummed appraisingly without saying anything.

Without being cocky, and relying solely on his analytical observation, the new agent was fairly certain he could defeat such a man with relative ease.

Either way, Yao got the feeling he shouldn't aggravate him by asking for a fight, so he simply turned to Bella.

"What's your major?" He asked.

Yet again he internally berated himself, no one called their _specialities_ their _major_ around here!

Bella seemed to get what he was asking though.

 _Hopefully she'll just assume my english isn't very good._

Yao thought as Bella spoke.

"Well, I'm pretty good with tech stuff, but I'm a good shot and my hand-to-hand is nothing to laugh at." She said proudly.

Yao nodded.

"All around, hmm? I'm more suited for the field then the office. I was never very good in any of my academics anyway."

Bella seemed surprised.

"You act very mature and really educated, I can't believe that you'd be bad with school."  
Yao shrugged.

"It's not like I was bad. I never failed a class or anything like that...no, actually, I did fail a couple. Anyway, it's just that I wasn't all that good either. Just average."

Bella smiled cheekily.

"That's better then failing, right?"

Yao let out a sigh.

"Certainly is, aru. Where to now?"

Bella glanced at the clock.  
"I suppose we can hit the mess hall for dinner, it's almost eight."

Yao hurriedly checked his watch, then winced.

"Forgot to change my time." He mumbled as he fiddled with the watch, returning it to proper time.

Bella looked interested.

"Where did you come from? Were you in the U.S when you flew out here, or did you come from China?"

"China."

Yao passed off the lie easily as he finished adjusting his watch.

"Alright, let's go, aru."

 ** _The next morning._**

Yao had enjoyed a pleasurable enough dinner with Bella and her brother Grant, who'd joined them. So far Yao's duties consisted of getting to know the facility, apparently doing some combat training thing in the dojo after breakfast, and then a meeting on some strategy what-nots later on in the afternoon.

Perhaps he'd not been paying close enough attention, but he certainly knew all these official terms and codes were something that would take getting used too.

For Yao, who was used to days packed with classes, training, and club activities, it seemed to be a rather lax schedule.

Not that he was complaining.

He was awoken by the buzzing of his cell phone at around 8:00 o'clock.

The Chinese groaned and sat up, picking up the phone and putting it to his ear.

"Ni hao?"

He groaned sleepily.

"YAO BRO HOW'S NEW YORK IS IT COOL I SO WANNA GO THERE ONE DAY I..."  
"Aii-yah!"

Yao dropped the phone onto the bed when a voice started screaming out of it.

Yao shook his head, fully awake now.  
"Alfred, calm down, aru!" He ordered.

Alfred took a deep breath to recover from his rant.

"Yeah, yeah, you're right, sorry. Anyway, just calling to check in on ya before we head to class. How's things up there?"

Yao frowned as he laid back on his bed, tucking a hand behind his head.

"It's alright. I got a new partner, she seems nice, though her older brother is very protective, aru."

"Says you." Alfred shot back.

"Shut up, aru! You have no right to talk, you are an only child! All five of them are my little ones that I need to make sure are safe!" He cried.

Yao continued on after this.

"Anyway, I'm supposed to do this combat exam thing, they gauge your abilities or something like that."

"So you get to kick some serious ass?"

Yao chuckled.

"Thats the plan."

"Cool, dude, gimme a play-by-play of how you whooped everyone into next week later, kay? I gotta go...oh, wait! Ivan wants to say hi."

"Ok, aru."

Yao responded, and he hear the phone being passed along before another recognizable voice passed through it.

"Greetings, comrade Yao!" Came the cheerful voice.

"Hello, Ivan." Yao responded.

"Are things being the ok there? You have arrived undamaged?"

"I'm not a package, Ivan. Yes, I'm fine, aru."

"That is being the good to be hearing. I was just wanting to say hello, will you be the calling later?"

Yao smiled, that round about way of speech had always perked him up.

"Yes, I'll call. Goodbye, aru."

"Da, goodbye."

This time the phone was hung up and Yao set it on his bedside table before dragging himself up and getting dressed in his new uniform. It was fairly plain, tan slacks, a tan button up, a black tie.

 _What, am I going on a safari later? Or am I that Jones guy from those movies Alfred made us watch?_

Yao thought, humoring himself with the idea of an imaginary cowboy hat and whip.

After getting dressed, yanking on his black boots, he headed out the door.

"Good morning!"

Bella was already awake, a smile on her face.

"Good morning to you too, aru." Yao responded before stretching an arm over his head.

"So, when is this whole fight thing going to happen, aru?"

Bella giggled as she stood up from the couch and walked over to Yao, the two of them heading out the door and making for the cafeteria.

"You mean the combat evaluation? It's at nine thirty, so we ought to hurry, make a good show of getting there on time."

Yao yawned tiredly, already his mind was drifting away to whatever far off corner he escaped to when bored.

"Whatever you say, aru."

 ** _Combat Evaluation 9:30._**

Yao stifled a yawn for the fourth time since they'd arrived in the dojo.

He was standing next to Bella in the dojo, with all the tan and boots everyone was wearing he felt like they were going to be charged by elephants at any moment. Of course, this was an unlikely event, as this stupid cocky instructor droned on and on.

 _Seriously...how many times as he said 'as I already know'?_

At long last, things appeared to be getting started, for the instructor, an older man with sandy brown hair and an ego to match his ridiculous tan half cape draped over one shoulder, spoke.

"Alright, I want a volunteer."

No one raised their hand.

Save the new guy.

Yao's hand had shot up at the prospect of a fight. He was eager to show his abilities to ward off the stares he was receiving from more seasoned operatives of the OEE. The ponytailed teen also believed it would be fun to attempt to split from the norm.

From the look of horror on Bella's face, Yao wasn't quite sure why everyone was so scared of volunteering.

"Oh...well...alright then." The instructor nodded his assent.

"New guy, what is it?" He was asking of Yao's name.

"Wang Yao. Westerner's would refer to me as Yao Wang, aru."

"Well you're in the west, talk like it."

 _Ok, that was not called for._

Yao gritted his teeth but said nothing, showing no sign of outward anger.

"Ok, Yao, I want you to take on Warren here."

There was the hulking brute from the night before.

The beast of a man stepped forward and cracked his knuckles, not appearing to be taking this seriously.

Yao raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

"Whatever, aru."

He mumbled nonchalantly.

"Whatever? This is a regimented facility, I won't have you going around speaking so improperly!"

The instructor scowled.

Yao snickered as he stepped onto the mat.

"Oh, right, sorry. Whatever, _sir._ "

Yao could practically hear Bella chewing her nails, she was sure he was going to get his rear end handed to him. Either by Warren, or the now enraged instructor, she wasn't sure.

"Excuse me?"

The instructor was daring Yao to repeat himself.

Yao was never one to shy away from a challenge. Especially to someone who had insulted him as this man had.

"Well, you told me that the way I spoke was not good. So I added sir. Unless, that is also not good, aru? English is not my first language."

Yao replied with ease, shrugging his shoulders and lifting his hands, palms to the ceiling in an uncaring gesture.

"Hmm..."

The instructor didn't seem to know how to react to Yao's response. Normally everyone shrank before a threat from him. This young recruit was rather different.

"So am I going to fight that one or what, aru? I hear things up here move slow, but this getting very silly."

Bella was no murmuring prayers under his breath and Yao rolled his eyes in her direction.

 _Why is she freaking out?_

He thought.

The instructor smirked.

"Fine then, you two, begin!"

Warren roared in effort as he threw a fist forward.

Yao dodged cooly, doing a back handspring and then diving through the mans legs, coming to his feet a few yards away behind him.

The larger operative blinked stupidly as the sudden disappearance of his foe, before he spun and saw Yao waving cheekily.

"Sorry, was that to fast for you, aru?" He asked sarcastically.

Warren's face twisted.  
"I'll crush you!"

He shouted, charging at Yao again.

Yao jumped and planted both hands firmly on either of Warren's broad shoulders, pushing upward he flipped and came back down hard. With a crack that echoed through the space, his heel kicked Warren across the face.

The former Hetalia Academy student landed on his other foot and spun, sweeping the same leg he'd used to kick Warren in the face to knock the mans legs out from under him.

With a choked shout, Warren slammed to the ground.

Yao rolled across the mat and planted his knees firmly on either side of the larger mans chest, bringing back his fist.

"This is the part where I have a knife, right? Or a gun? Or I could just strangle him if you'd like me too?"

Yao asked the instructor, golden eyes alight with amusement. The entire group of agents was gawking, and Bella looked to be the most amazed.

 _I told you I was made for the field._

Yao thought, directing this towards his partner.

The instructor's mouth was agape.

Yao swung himself up and offered Warren a hand.

The brute didn't take it, he stood of his own power and growled, muscles rippling.

"What? Want a rematch, aru?"

Yao taunted, taking a few steps back to give himself room to move.

The instructor took a breath to protest but before he could Warren let out a monstrous roar and charged Yao again.

Yao widened his base slightly.

 _Alright, Professor Gojosen, this one is for you!_

The fist of the behemoth of a man swung forward with bone crushing strength.

Yao caught it around the wrist, his feet easily turned on the ground to face towards the wall.

He pulled and released.

Warren was lifted clear off the ground, momentarily resting on Yao's back, before he was hurled the length of the room, his momentum used against him, and slammed upside down into the wall.

He slid to the ground, his head hitting the mat with a dull thud.

Yao brushed his hands off.

"Well, that was pretty straightforward." He commented as if he'd just completed the simplest of tasks.

"So, who's the best around here, aru?"

He asked then, turning on the instructor.

The man flicked irritatedly at his half cape, but Yao could easily read the disbelief in his eyes.

He hadn't been expecting the short, new kid who wasn't yet twenty to toy around with his most impressive asset.

Yao looked from Warren, who was lying semi-conscious on the ground, back to the egotistical instructor.

He snickered.

"Wait, don't tell me he was the best combat fighter here, aru!"

Yao covered his mouth with his hand.

"No, wait, that's not right either."  
Yao narrowed his eyes wolfishly at the instructor, a silent challenge.

" _You_ are the best, right?"

The instructor's scowl deepened.

"Huh! Guess not, aru!"

Yao chortled again, as if without a care in the world.

 _This is just too much fun! I can't believe it was this easy to get him angry!_

The instructor crossed his arms.

"Return to the line." He ordered, on eye twitching.

Yao shrugged.

"Whatever, sir."

He returned to Bella's side, and watched appraisingly as the rest of the evaluations were carried out.

As he watched, he felt increasingly stupid.

 _Sure, it was a laugh, but why would I purposely piss off the guy who's going to pass or fail me!? I need to apologize..._

Yao's golden eyes darkened at the prospect.

 _I really do hate apologizing. He deserved it after strutting around like some sort of glorified peacock._

Nevertheless, when the combat evaluations ended, Yao told Bella to go ahead without him and approached the instructor.

He took a breath, honestly intending to apologize for being so disrespectful, when the man gave him an appraising look, much different then any of the other looks Yao had received from the man, and spoke.

"Where were you trained?"

Yao was taken aback by the forwardness.

He didn't know just _how_ similar his technique while throwing Warren was to the way his teacher would hurl about anyone who accepted his dangerous handshake.

"A training camp in China, aru. I was selected to be recommended to a place in this country."

No hesitation.

The man nodded slowly.

"I see...that sounds about right..."

He fixed Yao with a serious gaze.

"Do you know anyone by the name Chang Zhao?"

Yao placed a befuddled look upon his face.

"As a matter of fact, I know four." He lied easily.

The man sighed.

"Yes, yes, I suppose the name is common enough." He mumbled before waving Yao off.

"I don't need to be bothered with you at the moment."

Yao was yet again urged to spit out a retort to his superior, but thought better of it.

More like he denied it in favor of an internal freak out.

 _How does this peacock know Professor Gojosen? More importantly, how does he know my teachers real name?_

Yao demanded the answers within his mind, but of course, none came to him, for he had no knowledge of this instructor.

Scowling, Yao turned and stalked from the dojo, not caring anymore if he was showing any disrespect.

* * *

 _ **Amethyst: Sheesh! That took forever!**_

 _ **Mathias: Hey! I thought you said that you had plenty of pre typed material!**_

 _ **Amethyst: Shut up, I do! I've just been busy is all! Just because I passed those dumb classes from my last catastrophe of a story doesn't mean I'm done with school! You'll be running in circles between all of the Nordic stories I have planned soon enough!**_

 _ **Mathias *Fugitive*: Yeah! Just wait until you get a load of my universe! I'm half magic! I can summon stuff! *Summons massive axe***_

 _ **Mathias: AHHHHH! Where did that come from!?**_

 ** _Mathias *Fugitive*: Magic!_**

 _ **Mathias *Where Loyalties lie*: Er...I'm a pirate.**_ _ **An airship pirate.**_ _ **I have an axe too but it's not magic. Hey, where's Captain Kirkland?**_

 _ **Arthur: Pardon?**_

 _ **Mathias *Where Loyalties lie*: Wrong one! No! Multiple Captains! I'm sorry I didn't finish repairing the cannons! I will soon as I get back!**_

 _ **Mathias *Safe and Sound*: In this one I'm actually the country Denmark. Like, literally Denmark. It's not an AU for once!**_

 _ **Amethyst: Out of all of you the Mathias from Fugitive is really the only confirmed one.**_

 _ **Mathias *Fugitive*: YES! *Waves axe around***_

 _ **Mathias *Deadly Truth part 2*: WHAT!? But I wanna appear!**_

 ** _Lukas: This is my nightmare._**

 ** _All Mathias's: NORGEY!_**

 ** _Lukas: HELP_**

 ** _Amethyst: So sorry, Lukas. Do the sign off and I'll make everyone not from this story go away._**

 ** _Lukas: Favorite! Follow! And please review! Also keep a look out for all of these other...Mathias's...that Amethyst is planning._**

 ** _All Mathias's: BYE!_**


	5. A call from home

**_I've been looking forward to this chapter! Please enjoy!_**

* * *

 ** _Yao and Bella's base._**

"Yao!" Bella shrieked the second he walked in.

Yao let out a startled yelp when he was hug tackled.

"I thought you were gonna die!" She wailed, burying his face in his chest.

Yao patted her on the back awkwardly before pushing her off.

"Why would you think that, aru?"  
Bella took several heavy breaths.

"You stood up to Warren and to Instructor Garth like they were nothing!"

"Garth? So that's the peacocks name, aru?" Yao asked disinterestedly. He desperately wanted to contact Headmaster Rome about this new development, but there were strict rules about how he wasn't supposed to do it within the building.

 _I'll have to wait until the Saturday, when I'll be free to leave the facility._

Yao could already tell this was going to be a long week, so he moved into the living room and sat down on the armchair. There was one armchair, a small couch, and a decent sized T.V.

Bella bounced onto the couch and spoke again.

"So, Yao, what did you do for fun when you were back at that training camp?"

Yao hesitated.

"Well..."

Yao pondered the way to answer for a moment before crossing his arms and replying.

"The training camp was part of a school. The school building wasn't much but they had a music program. I played the harp."

"You play the harp? That's so cool!" Bella exclaimed happily.

Yao smiled softly.

"How about you, aru? Do you play any instruments."  
Bella pouted.

"No...but I can cook and bake and make chocolate and things like that! I love to make waffles!"

Yao nodded.

"I cooked out of necessity. Five growing children to feed, and all of them were snobs about their food. No fast food for them, aru."

Yao grumbled under his breath about how much he'd slaved away in the kitchen to make sure his siblings would have something good to eat.  
Bella smiled.  
"It must be fun to have so many siblings! My big brother is the only family I've got. He used to make pickled herring all the time."

Bella made a face.

"I didn't really like it, but I would eat it just to make him happy."

Yao laughed.

"That's like my little brother! His weird soups and sushi would look like they were still alive but we'd all eat them anyway. Except most of his food was incredible, even if it looked rather strange."

Yao found himself talking pleasurably with Bella for the remainder of the evening, eventually, though, Yao heard something from his room.

"YAO! YAO YAO YAO! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAO!"

A pair of golden eyes blinked, the agent could have sworn he heard someone yelling his name from up in his room, but that was impossible.

"Did you hear that?" Bella questioned.

Yao fixed his mouth in a firm line, uncrossing his arms and rising to his feet.

"I'll go investigate." He whispered, quickly scaling the ladder in an instant, Bella right behind, her boots making soft _ting_ sounds with every step on the metal railings.

"Could it be a threat?"

Yao frowned as he crept down the catwalk.

"There are no sizable air vents in my room, aru. No one but us has entered...I do not know what it could be, aru. Stay alert." Yao warned before edging up to his door, relaxing his hands for a moment, he then kicked the door in and sprung into the room.

It was empty, save for his laptop, sitting on the desk, open where he'd left it, with a forced video call on it.

"Yao! He's here, guys! We got him!"

Alfred shouted over his shoulder.

Yao stared at the screen as it was instantly crowded with faces, completed filled between the Allies, the Axis, several Micro Nations in the background, and he could hear Vash attempting to regain order.

The Swiss Sniper was badly failing.

Yao groaned and slapped himself in the forehead.  
"They hacked my laptop before I left!" He shouted in fury before storming up to the computer and bending to look into the screens camera.  
"You are all going to get it when I come to visit, aru!" He shouted, shaking a fist at the screen.

Alfred laughed obnoxiously.

"Dude, come on! You didn't even see Li do it!"

"I knew it! Li! You will suffer for this!"

Li's head popped into the picture, mellow dark gold eyes looking completely dead of any fear at his older brothers threat.  
"I, like, really have no reason to be, like, scared of you. I mean, you're pretty short." Li shrugged nonchalantly with a single shoulder, the other being pretty much immobilized by the cast on his arm.  
"OY! I raised you! You are one of five people on this planet that is NOT allowed to call me short, aru!"

Yao reprimanded his brother.

"I assume I am one of the other five?" Kiku's soft voice drifted from the speaker.

"Yes! Especially since I am still taller then you, Kiku, aru!"

Bella peered over Yao's shoulder curiously, bright green almond shaped eyes scanned over the many faces present on the screen, all milling about, elbowing and kicking in an attempt to inch closer to the camera and get a better look at their absent friend.

"Ohonhonhonhon...you already have a girl in your room? Could this be why you took so long to answer our call, _mon ami_?"

Francis chuckled pervertedly, pushing Li out of the picture and stroking his chin thoughtfully, that whited out look in his eyes he always got when he had thoughts like this making an appearance.  
"SHUT UP, FRANCIS!"

Yao shouted at the top of his lungs at the frenchman onscreen while behind him, Bella blushed a bright scarlet.

Francis performed his signature chuckle again before allowing himself to edged offscreen.

Yao grumbled under his breath for a moment before speaking.

"This is my new partner...those idiots are...my friends and family. It seems 99% of them have crammed themselves into Alfred's apartment, aru."

They seemed to get the message that the place they had assembled was now to be referred to as Alfred's apartment, for the secret of the academy to remain, and Yao massaged his forehead.

"Alright, what's the big emergency you have to all run over to Alfred's place and call me for?"

"Mei Mei's sick." Li reported, poking his head back into view, that same monotone ever present.

"WHAT!? With what, aru!? Where is she? Hospital? Does she need to get to one!? Do I need to come back or..."

"ONII-SAN CHILL!" Li shouted, a flustered look coming over his face at his older brothers overblown reaction.

"Yeah, Aniki! Calm down! It's just the flu, nothing serious. She just wanted you to know she might not be answering her phone in case she's asleep or can't reach it." Yong Soo piped up, draping himself over his younger brothers shoulders.

"OW!"

Li yelped and tumbled from sight, presumably to the floor beneath the coffee table on which the laptop they were using in the Academy was.

"Is he being the ok?"

Ivan leaned over Li, who was still collapsed on the floor.

"Damn it Yong Soo! You landed right on my bad shoulder, bloody git! That, like, really hurt!"

Li wailed childishly from the floor.

"Language, Li! Also I thought I told you not to take insults from Arthur!" Yao said sternly from his end of the line.

"Onii-san I'm not kidding that really hurt! Scold Yong not me!"

The youngest whined.

"I will, aru. Yong Soo! You know your brother is hurt, don't just jump on him like that or you'll make it worse!"

"What happened to him?" Bella asked abruptly.

"Fell out a second story window and messed up his shoulder, broke his arm, and got all cut up from glass. Like an idiot, aru."

"Hey! Not my fault!" Li groaned, finally poking his head back up into the screen, golden eyes glaring before he was suddenly dragged from the chaos.

Yao could see Emil pulling the injured cantonese boy by the ankle away from the center of the madness.

When Li was free of the chaos, Emil simply said to him.

"You're welcome."

Li sniffed.  
"And who says I should be thanking you?"

"So you wanted to be stuck in between Ivan, Natalya, Alfred, and Yong Soo with an injured arm?"

"True...yeah, thanks."

Li caved.

Bella was scanning the many faces, leaning over the couch to see the screen, seated on the couch, on the floor, there were so many people there.

"Wow, Yao, you have a lot of close friends, don't you?"

"Well they all were training in facilities in there home countries, so we met often, aru. I told you about Ivan."

"You have been telling her the nice good things, da, comrade Yao?"

Ivan lifted up the laptop and held it above everyone, smiling at the camera.  
"Of course Ivan, aru! What, did you think I was badmouthing you behind your back, aru?"

"Da."  
"WHY!?"

"Just being the kidding, comrade Yao."  
"You better have been, aru!"

Bella smiled.

"That's the russian friend of yours?"

"That's him."

"Privyet!" Ivan said cheerfully, smiling brighter.

"What were you talking about, he is totally adorable." Bella whispered to Yao.

"You haven't seen him when he's angry yet, aru."

"BIG BROTHER! MARRY ME MARRY ME!"

Deranged dark blue eyes rose up behind Ivan, arms raised in preparation for a tackle hug.

"NOOO!"

Ivan took off running, narrowly dodging his little sisters attempted embrace, and someone else dove to catch the laptop before it hit the ground.

You could now see Ivan getting chased out of the 'apartment' by his little sister in the background.

Until the one who'd been the laptop's rescuer took up the entire screen.  
"Yao! What's New York City like? I have, like, always wanted to go there, the fashion scene, is, y'know, totes through the roof chick!"

Bella smiled as the marble shaped bright green eyes glittered with excitement and shoulder length blonde hair swished just as usual.

"Who is she?"

Bella asked innocently.

She jumped when the laptop traded hands again, this time it was in the trembling hands of Ravis, aka Latvia.  
"S-S-Sorry Yao...you know how he gets."

Ravis mumbled, looking over his shoulder.

Feliks was curled up in the corner, with Toris patting him on the shoulder.

"Hey, you were close to the screen, all she could probably see was your hair and your eyes...you look plenty like a boy but your hair is long. I've been mistaken for a girl too! So has Vash!"

Toris attempted to comfort his best friend, gesturing to the aforementioned Swiss, and Vash loathed being reminded of that one time he'd been blackmailed into cross dressing.

Yao sighed.

" _His_ name is Feliks."

Bella gasped and covered her hands with her mouth.

"I am so sorry!" She cried.  
"No problem, aru. Also, everyone."  
He addressed the people on the other end of the video chat.

"This is my new partner Bella."

" _Bonjour, mon cherie_ , absolutely charmed to meet you."  
Francis jumped to the screen, extending a rose he'd produced seemingly from thin air.

The frenchman was punched and sent flying, something shattered in the background where he landed.  
"Ignore the frog, love. He's quite low on the I.Q scale."

Arthur said charmingly with a gentlemanly bow in the direction of the camera, smiling, placing a hand over his heart.

"QUOI!? I am a model student, black sheep!"

The blur of red, black, and wonderfully taken care of blonde hair hurtled from beyond the reaches of the camera and sent Arthur crashing across the Allies base.

"And there they go, aru..." Yao mumbled as his former teammates erupted into a fist fight on the spot, rolling back and forth, shouting cheap threats and pathetic insults.

"Hey, Yao."

The laptop had been captured again, this time by Lukas.  
"Lukas! How's your shoulder?"

"Better. I don't need to wear that sling anymore."  
Lukas said, a small smile on his face.

Mathias popped up behind him, looking disappointed.

"You took it off again, didn't you?"

Lukas rolled his eyes, as if this should have been obvious.

"Of course."

"Lukas put the sling back on, now!"

Mathias ordered, putting his hands on his hips.

"I don't need it."

Lukas insisted stubbornly.

"Yes, you do! You need to wear it until the end of the week! Come on!"

Mathias seized Lukas by the good arm and dragged him away, forcing him to hand over the laptop as he demanded of the stubborn norwegian where he had hidden the sling.

The laptop was now in the hands of Hyung Soo.

"Isn't that the boy who jumped on your little brother?"

Bella asked.

"No. That's his twin." Yao said, waving a hand at the question.

"Hyung, you need a haircut, aru."

"Shut up, Onii-san." Hyung Soo bristled, tugging self consciously at his hair, which was making for Yao's own hair length, in a loose braid.

"Rude, aru."

Yao snapped.

"If I need a haircut then..."

Hyung Soo was clearly about to target the hypocritical ponytail hanging over his eldest brothers shoulder.  
"Don't say it, aru."

Yao sighed dramatically and then smiled at the screen.  
"Well, is there anything else important I need to know about?"

Lilli said, taking the laptop from Hyung Soo.

Yao noted he could see Mathias full on wrestling Lukas in the background attempting to get the norwegian back into his sling. Mathias finally won and Lukas instantly started fidgeting with the strap of the sling in irritation, a pouty look on his face.

Lill considered the question, then her large doe eyes lit up when she seemed to have recalled something of interest.

"Mr. Zhao threw Alfred over the balcony into the fountain!"

Yao burst out laughing.

"Dude, not cool! You have any clue how cold that water was!?" Alfred cried out indignantly, clutching at his shoulders and shuddering in remembrance.

Yao calmed down at last and wiped away tears of mirth while he said.

"Ok, well, we need to get to dinner, so, I'll be talking to all of you soon, aru!"

"Bye bye!"

Lilli exclaimed, waving.  
Yao was washed over by a torrent of words.

"Be careful, buddy!"

"We will call again soon!"

"We'll see you in a few months!"

"Bye Yao!"

"Bye!"

"We miss you!"

Yao exhaled slowly and hovered the mouse over the 'end call' button.  
"See you all soon, aru."

He clicked the end call button and all of the faces vanished, replaced by a dull black screen.

Yao straightened up with a groan.

"Sorry about that, aru. All that panic for nothing, hmm?"

He turned to Bella.

Bella smiled and waved a hand, as if waving off Yao's apology.

"Don't be sorry, that was fun, it must be nice to have so many people that care about you."

Yao nodded slowly.  
"Yes...it is nice to know they are all there, aru."

Yao stared off into space for a few moments with a saddened look on his face before shaking his head hard and turning to Bella again.  
"What are we standing around here for, aru? Dinnertime!"

* * *

 ** _Amethyst: I find that to be the funniest chapter yet. I was just going for cramming the chaos and love of their classmates of the academy into a single chapter._**

 ** _Feliks: I AM NOT A GIRL!_**

 ** _Bella: I'm sorry!_**

 ** _Toris: Calm down! Like I said, some of us have long hair! Vash looks like a girl too! So does Francis! And Yao! Roderich acts like one!_**

 ** _Roderich: Pardon?_**

 ** _Feliks: Yeah...I guess you're right..._**

 ** _Toris: Phew._**

 ** _Alfred: Yo, Vash, would you PLEASE explain this ONE TIME you were blackmailed into cross dressing, bro?_**

 ** _Vash: *Whips out rifle* Say that again, I didn't hear you._**

 ** _Alfred: AHHHH *Hides behind Professor Egypt.*_**

 ** _Ancient Egypt: Ok, ok, thats enough of that. All of you calm down, just because we're trapped in this room doesn't mean class is dismissed. Lets review our lock picking strategies._**

 ** _Amethyst: First...?_**

 ** _Ancient Egypt: Ah, right. Please favorite, follow, and review. Unless, of course, you want to join our study session on lock picking. Thank you!_**


	6. Birthday wish

_**It's time...for a TIME SKIP!**_

* * *

 ** _Two months later._**

Yao groaned and opened his eyes slowly.

For a few moments he wished for the loud voices of his teammates to surround him. Shouting ridiculous things such as...

'DUDE! Happy birthday!'

'Bloody hell, made it to two whole decades in this mess, eh, mate?'

'Joyeux anniversaire, mon ami!'

'H-H-Happy birthday...I made pancakes...'

'This will be being the most fun of the days, da?'

Yao stared up at the white ceiling.

 _No one here even knows it's my birthday...I didn't bother to tell Bella._

Yao had been working hard at the OEE, it had been difficult to handle being away from his family for the first time in his life, and being away from the academy, not knowing if missions were going well or if everyone was ok. He'd received plenty of calls, messages, and other things.

Not to mention that he'd had to send Alfred a happy birthday message the day before. Alfred's birthday landed on July 4th, while his was the next day.

 _It's too hot...I wonder if I wished for my birthday to go back in time to my first day at the academy, would it come true? I remember running through the halls and laughing and having to dive out of the way when others came from the opposite direction. When everyone fought and trained side by side. The mess hall was never quiet. There was hardly a place in the school that was quiet for long. Here it's nothing but silence, rules, train, and work. This isn't what I was expecting when I was being sent to one of the best organizations in the world._

He rolled over, still with his mind abuzz with all the what if's of his life.

Like _what if_ when Rome had offered him this job, he'd stared at the italian like he was insane and said.

'No disrespect meant, Headmaster, but I don't think it's for me.'

When his phone buzzed several times, it notified him that this was not a dream.

Taking up his phone, Yao opened it and stared at the text messages.

Twenty...not how old he was, how many texts he'd gotten, and it was only eight in the morning!

Yao scrolled through several, Alfred's message was overzealously decorated with emojis, Arthur had sent a simple, friendly, to the point two sentence text, Ivan's bad english spelling skills made his text almost to the point of being beyond readable. The Axis had texted, all of East Asia, the Swiss Snipers, the other East Germans, the Baltic plus Poland gang, and Yao was sure he would receive dozens more throughout the day.

That put a smile on his face, and convinced him to drag himself out of the bed.

"Alright...lets see...where are those stupid tan slacks?"

He grumbled as he dug through his closet.

His hand brushed over soft, light silky fabric and he froze.

Pushing back the few hangers full of jackets and other winter essentials, he stared at the outfit hung neatly in the very back.

"I haven't touched it since I got here..."

He murmured to himself.

"Yao? You awake? We need to head out soon!"

Yao was snapped from his trance by Bella rapping on his door.

"Coming, aru!" He called before dragging on his agent uniform and heading out the door.

 ** _Breakfast._**

"So then big brother punched the enemy in the face and..."

Yao was tuned out of Bella's rant about her brothers latest mission.

Yao had at long last been cleared to go on missions after his first month, and already he was making the organization some serious money. People were fighting to hire him on their cases. He'd overtaken the position of best hand-to-hand from Warren after wiping the floor with him in several more fights. He'd earned the hulking mans begrudging respect. There were always the critics, and one of them happened to be his boss, Mr. Baldwin. He supposed he just had to thank the stars that he was good enough to hoist himself into the missions despite the head mans near constant disapproval.

He insisted Yao was to young to begin field work.

 _If only they knew how many skyscrapers I've infiltrated, bunkers I've destroyed, bombs I've planted, information I've stolen...no...what am I thinking? It's better they don't know. They don't know about me, they don't know about my home._

Yao didn't hesitate to think of Hetalia Academy as his home.

He'd not gone back for a visit yet. He planned to be leaving to finally go home for about four days the next week. He did know that the horrible man, who still bore that hideous resemblance to Rooke Morgan, only wanted him because he was making the OEE, and therefore Baldwin himself, more money and more awards.

Yao sighed when he realized Bella was still chattering away. At least he could count on her to never be so quiet and dull as the rest of this life had become.

That was when his phone began to ring.

He jumped, he could have sworn he put it on vibrate.

Every head in the room swiveled to him, the senior operatives all listening to the upbeat ringtone with displeasure written across their faces, and Yao chuckled awkwardly as he pulled out the cell, hurriedly declining the call.

Bella looked surprised as everyone slowly went back to what they were doing before Yao's phone had abruptly broken the silence.

"Do you need to answer that?" She asked, pointing to the phone with a manicured nail, pristinely polished in a shimmery green.

 _When did she even have time to go and get a manicure anyway?_

Yao shook his head, that wayward thought was unimportant.

"No, no, it was nothing important, aru." He insisted, smiling.

"Continue, I'm listening. What happened after Grant punched that guy?"

Bella looked at him suspiciously, "You sure?"

"Positive."

Yao didn't even glance down at the caller I.D.

He would've been shocked to see the caller.

But he didn't even notice the way the name 'Mr. Empire' was flashing across his screen.

 ** _That afternoon._**

Yao let out a heavy sigh as he collapsed onto the couch.

"I hate paperwork, aru!" He shouted, flailing his arms in the air chaotically, kicking his feet like a little child throwing a temper tantrum.

Bella huffed as she plopped into the armchair, putting her elbows on her knees and leaning forward, propping up her chin on her hands.

"I didn't sign up for this...but I guess it's the newbie's work. Even if we're good at missions, we still have to do the boring stuff. UGH!"

She tossed her arms into the air as she said this, leaning back in the armchair, slouching and splaying her feet out to the sides, knees together.

Yao grumbled under his breath when his phone went off again.

Just like it had in the mess hall at breakfast, the dojo, in the hallway, in the mess hall _again_ at lunch, and in a strategy meeting, each time the call had been declined with lightning speed in favor of the current activity at the time during which Yao had been called.

"AII-YAH! That's the fifth time today! Who is it!?"

The long haired martial artist snatched up the phone and visibly his face became worried.

"What? Is something wrong?" Bella questioned, not bothering to straighten up, for her slouched over position was rather comfortable.

Yao didn't answer her, he just snapped the phone open and put it to his ear.

"Mr. Empire? Can you hear me?" He asked.

"Yao! Thank god, you answered! I've been trying to reach you constantly for hours, the communications have been patchy at best."

Rome's voice sounded strained.

"Sir, I'm here, I can hear you loud and clear. What's wrong?"

Yao asked, ignoring the curious looks Bella was shooting him from her seat in the armchair.

"Listen to me, whatever you do, don't come back to the academy." He ordered.

Firm, strict, no wiggle room.

Yao didn't say anything for a moment, then spoke that one simple word he was sure his former headmaster had been suspecting.

"Why?"

"This is not easy to accept, but Morgan...he _survived_ the last Morgan Mission."

Yao felt his heart drop, his stomach flipped. That cold, manipulating face that had hurt and tried to kill so many he cared about lifted from memory, rearing like a shadow that had just shown itself to be very, _very_ real.

Very real, and very dangerous.

"How!? We blew up the upper levels of the building, aru! With all of our operatives on the stairwells, if he had gotten down, he'd have been seen!"

Bella was now incredibly interested in this conversation she could only hear one side off, so much so that she abandoned her cozy sitting position and straightened in an attempt to better hear what Yao was saying.

Rome clicked his tongue from his end of the phone.

"I believe he might have had a helicopter prepared for take off on the roof, he must have reached it and escaped by air before any of us were out of the building. Before the building blew as well. Yao, he's hacked the academy's systems. The school is in lockdown, we're all trapped inside. No way out. No students are unaccounted for, and none yet injured. But he's clearly been preparing for this for a long time. Ever since his defeat two months ago he must have been secretly worming his way into our mainframe. We've been turned into prisoners in our own home."

Yao didn't hesitate.

"Sir, how can I help? I'm on the outside, I might be able to disrupt the hackers, or take down the one running the..."

Bella, listening to Yao speaking into the phone, was now beyond curious to know who the man her partner was speaking to was.

She'd never heard Yao show _honest_ respect to anyone. Even their own boss, he didn't seem to care. He only showed his respect to people who had earned it.

Bella could hear in the way Yao was speaking that he viewed the man on the other end of the phone as deserving nothing short of the utmost respect.

To earn Yao's respect to the point that he wouldn't even protest to being interrupted, and address you as 'sir' whenever he deemed it proper, it must have taken something monumental.

Yao gritted his teeth, fisting his free hand.

"I have to do something, aru."

"You can. You can keep the academy alive. I don't know what will happen here, but I doubt Morgan will just go for a slaughter. He doesn't play like that. We still have time. He may even try to starve us out, but we have enough food in the academy to last the entire staff and student body for weeks on end. What I need you to do is stay away. I know you were planning on coming back next week, I called to make sure you didn't. We're all going too...what!?"

Yao's golden orbs flew open wide as he struggled to hear what was going on.

"No! They can't have gotten in, this lockdown is a double edged sword! Hurry and find us a place to hide! Go! I'll stay here, Morgan will come for me, it'll give you time! Egypt, let go of me! Iris!"

Yao listened to the sound Rome coming to a stumbling stand, and clearly being dragged into a run.

"Ok, I'll come with you! Listen to me, Yao, stay where you are. Once we win this fight I'll call to let you know."

Yao swallowed the lump in his throat.

"And what if you don't win?"

Rome forced a chuckle. "Well, then it'll be up to you to dig us out of the rubble. If we don't win, I'm trusting you to make sure Morgan doesn't take our organization. You'd be the next Headmaster. I trust you with the job more then anyone."

Yao was surprised to feel heat behind his eyes, strong, painful.

Yao nodded even though Rome couldn't see it.

"I understand, sir." He choked out.

Rome let out a breath of relief.

"Good. Goodbye, Yao."

Yao fisted his hand to stop it from shaking.

"Goodbye, Headmaster."

"Wrong name."

"O-Oh...r-right...goodbye, Mr. Empire."

Rome snickered, forcing a cheerful ring to his voice that was normally there all the time.

"Oh, one last thing!"

Yao opened his eyes again, staring at the ground.

"Happy Birthday, you made it to two decades stuck with me as your lousy teacher, huh?"

Yao swallowed hard.

"You're the best teacher any of us could have hoped for." Yao swore to this fact.

Rome's soft sigh drifted through the speaker.

"I appreciate that. See you!"

Yao didn't remove the phone from his ear as the dial tone sounded.

Finally he lowered it and stared at the ended call.

"Sooner then you think, sir."

He whispered before turning to Bella. "I have something I need to talk to Mr. Baldwin about."

"Yao, who was that?" The girl questioned.

"My teacher. He taught me everything. Gave me everything. Got me where I am today. He needs me. They all need me."

Bella stared at him in shock. "You didn't even say 'aru'."

"I tend not to when I'm pissed off."

* * *

 _ **Amethyst: Theres that plot everyones been looking for!**_

 _ **Alfred: Yes! Now for some action! The real hero gets to shine!**_

 _ **Amethyst: If by real hero you mean Yao, then yes, yes he does do some pretty awesome stuff.**_

 _ **Alfred: I meant me!**_

 _ **Amethyst: You crawl around the school...and call Yao on your cell phone freaking out.**_

 _ **Alfred: No fair! I want to be in it more!**_

 ** _Amethyst: Denied!_**

 ** _Yao: Ha! I am liking this story more every second, aru! I am the so called hero, and Alfred crawls around and does nothing! Wonderful!_**

 ** _Amethyst: Yeah, I expected you'd like it. Alright, someone sign it off!_**

 ** _Gilbert: Me! The awesome me will do it! The awesome author is sorry it took her so un-awesomely long to update with another awesome chapter! She has been working on the story a lot and will be updating more frequently now that she has more AWESOME pre-typed material to work with! So favorite awesomely and follow with awesomeness and review about the awesome of our academy!_**

 ** _Amethyst: ...You know what. I certainly WOULD get mad at him for all those uses awesome. But hey, who cares anymore? It's Prussia. Bye!_**


	7. Fractured Memories

_**Well, many of you asked for Yao to kick some butt, so here we go!**_

* * *

Bella looked on in curiosity as Yao stuffed his phone into his pocket.

"Yao, who was that?"

"My teacher. He taught me everything. Gave me everything. Got me where I am today. He needs me. They all need me."

Bella stared at him in shock. "You didn't even say 'aru'."

"I tend not to when I'm pissed off." Yao then left the room.

He ran through the halls, ignoring the older agents yelling at him for doing so.

Not one person asked him if everything was ok. Because none of them cared about anyone but themselves. Yao knew if he ran frantically through the halls like this back in that world of red and black, without bothering to give any sort of explanation, he'd be chased after, answers demanded of him, friends gathering to follow him even if they didn't know _where_ they were following him too.

He heard the _click-clack_ of heels behind him and turned his head slightly to see Bella chasing after him, catching up bit by bit.

Perhaps he still had _someone_ left to follow him.

Yao arrived at the door to his boss's office and pushed it open. "Mr. Baldwin, I need to talk to you, it's urgent."

The man within jumped at Yao's sudden arrival and looked up at him with disapproval written across his face.

"What is it, Wang?"

"I need to go."

Baldwin's eyes bugged.

"Go? Go where? You aren't off until next week, remember? Until then you need to finish all your work."

Yao ground his teeth together.

"My family is in danger, they're all being threatened, I need to go back now."

Baldwin scoffed.

"Well, what do you want me to do about it? Your family can't be in that big of a bind that they can't wait a week to have you home. Besides, what could you do against a threat?"

"I can do a lot more then you know."Yao snapped.

"I am leaving whether you permit me to or not."

Baldwin stood up.

"You may be some sort of rising star in the OEE, but you still haven't gotten yourself enough to be able to walk out on a mission without losing your job."

"What mission? I haven't got one! All I've been doing for the past week is pushing papers, aru! You haven't got any reason to keep me here other then to yell at me!" Yao pointed out, tossing a hand into the air in protest.

"Now I need to know. Who was that damn contact that sent me such a disrespectful spoiled brat!?"

Baldwin stood up, his chair screeched on the tile floor, his face turning red.

Yao knew the man was infamous for his spitfire temper, and Yao himself was no bottomless well of patience either.

"I show respect to those who earn it! What have you done for me to respect you but sit behind your desk and look down on me like I'm worthless!? I've been working hard, I've succeeded in every mission you've given me, and you still treat me like I'm nothing!" Yao roared back, fisting his hands.

Baldwin stalked around from behind the desk, he was taller then Yao, but not by some massive margin.

"That contact must be some sort of lousy, lazy, uncaring teacher if he was the one who trained you." He growled, prodding a finger in Yao's direction.

 _...you made it to two decades stuck with me as your lousy teacher, huh?  
_

Yao snapped, his eyes darkened.

 _He's the greatest headmaster, the greatest teacher, the greatest man any of us could have asked for._

"If there is one thing you should never do, it is _never_ to insult my teacher in front of me. That man taught me everything, he gave me a chance when everyone else turned me away." Yao hissed.

Baldwin raised his nose, and Yao was completely through with his infuriating superiority act.

"Why shouldn't I insult a man who's clearly nothing but a spineless coward to let his student behave like this?" Baldwin asked, a smirk playing over his lips.

Yao felt something inside him snap at those hateful words.

His hand shot out without any thought or reasoning, no foresight to what disaster such an act could cause.

He seized Baldwin by the wrist, spun, and hurled with all of his strength, the mans bulk was lifted clean from the ground, flipped over, and sent air born.

Baldwin slammed hard into the rack of awards hung in his office, falling to the ground in a discombobulated heap. Several of the heavy metal plated trophies fell and landed on him, one directly on the head with what Yao thought was a satisfying clang.

"That's why." The young recruit growled.

Baldwin rose to his feet, rubbing at his head, then his watery blue eyes lit afire as he turned on the smaller man, fisting his hands.

"You think I was elected to this office for nothing?" He asked, his voice barely a whisper.

He moved faster then Yao had been expecting and before the chinese could react, he was punched hard across the face.

Yao moved with the blow, dropping his head and swinging up his foot in a roundhouse kick.

Baldwin caught his foot and used his weight against him, flinging him back.

Yao fell back on his hands and pushed back to his feet. He swung another punch at Baldwin, and the man fluidly dodged, his own fist darted out and landed another painful blow across Yao's face, colors danced in front of the chinese mans vision. Yao stumbled backwards a step, gasping. Before any other moves could be made from the former students end, Baldwin seized his shoulders, and brought his knee up hard.

Yao hacked up dry air and a little spittle actually flew from his mouth, forced out from the power of the blow. Baldwin moved quickly after that, a lightning barrage of punches rained down, and Yao struggled to block and dodge. An uppercut lifted him several inches from the ground and sent him flying backwards, he felt himself slam into a rack of awards, and he hit the white tiles so hard the wind was knocked from him.

Yao felt as though he may actually pass out, he couldn't recall ever being hit that hard in his life. No training with Professor Gojosen had ever been this punishing. His knees felt weak and he knew that another blow would finish him.

Letting out a startled yelp, he rolled to one side when Baldwin attempted to crush his chest underfoot. Yao put his arms under him and performed a fluid transition from the ground to a crouch, pushing up to his feet on aching limbs. It was purely instinct and muscle memory, combined with self preservation, that allowed him to dodge a few more punches.

Baldwin reeled back his fist and threw forward again, a rocketing knockout punch was aimed at Yao's head. The golden eyed trainee brought up his forearms in a X shape, catching the fist on the spot where his arms crossed. He felt himself go sliding backwards, blinding whiteness of the office all around him, the room was spinning, so was he. Baldwin was looming above him, and he couldn't seem to find any sort of gap, the mans brute strength was overwhelming.

Yao just wasn't big enough or strong enough to fight him off.

 _"So, you got your butt kicked again?"_

Yao's eyes flew open when he heard that strong, slightly accenting voice in his mind. From that time he'd been lying, exhausted and barely two years into his training at the academy, on the dojo floors, and those words had greeted him.

 _"Yes, sir, I just wasn't strong enough. I was to small, aru."_

Yao flung himself to the side and raced behind Baldwins desk, feeling his legs nearly give out again, it was all he could do to keep himself beyond reach.

"Running away, wheres all that bravado?" Baldwin demanded tauntingly, following after him.

 _Yao watched as Rome strode into the dojo, a small smile on the older mans his face._

 _"Remember. There's always a weak point. It doesn't matter that you're small, or short, or not as muscular. What matters is where you aim your punches."_

Yao dodged back and forth behind the desk, keeping the thing between him and Baldwin, trying to refocus his still dazed vision. Baldwin suddenly leapt the desk, planting a foot on it and jumping, kicking Yao in the chest and sending him sprawling. Yao didn't think he could make it back to his feet again.

 _Yao sat up on the mat as he watched Rome walk over to the space a few feet in front of him._

 _"But sir, I'm almost a foot shorter then most of my opponents! They're all so much stronger then me! How could I ever beat them?"_

 _Rome smiled softly. "Step one? You get up."_

Yao gritted his teeth and hurled himself forward again, legs spinning as he came to a stand again, staggering several feet before returning a fighting pose.

 _Yao got to his feet in front of the Headmaster and watched as the man took a fighting stance._

 _"What's my weakness?" Rome asked the question._

 _Yao looked over the mans_ _stand, and frowned.  
_

 _"I don't see one, aru."_

 _Rome snapped his fingers and he stood up fully again._

 _"And thats why you're always losing."_

Yao ducked and weaved around Baldwin's punches, and the man appeared frustrated that the blows that had once been landing without issue were now being so swiftly avoided.

 _Yao furrowed his brow, looking up into Rome's golden eyes, which somewhat matched his own._

 _"I don't understand, Headmaster. You're the best fighter here, other then Professor Gojosen, how can you have a weak point?"_

 _Rome snickered. "Yao, everyone has a weak point. You've just gotta be more creative. Here, let me show you. Take up stance."_

 _Yao did as he was told._

 _Rome looked him over, then, suddenly, his hand shot out and grabbed Yao's ponytail before Yao could dodge.  
_

 _Yao yelped in surprise, and his hands instantly flew up in and attempt to free his hair from the grip._

 _Rome's other hand shot out and flicked Yao in the throat, which had been completely exposed._

 _The boy winced at how easily he'd been bested._

 _Rome released Yao's hair and stepped back. "See?" He offered._

 _Yao rubbed his scalp, trying not to let his irritation show. "That wasn't proper technique, aru."_

 _Rome smiled and winked. "Exactly. If you can't beat someone by the rules, then don't play by them."_

Yao blinked when this recollection finished surfacing in his mind.

His eyes raked over Baldwin, taking in his stance and attempting to spot a weakness.

Yao found one.

Narrowing his eyes, took several dancing steps backwards until he had put about two yards of distance between himself and Baldwin.

"Bouncing around won't save you!" Baldwin exclaimed.

Yao screamed as he charged Baldwin head on, the man instinctively widened his stance to defend against the tackle he expected was coming.

Yao dropped to his knees and his freshly laundered slacks slid across the tile as if it were ice. Yao leaned back and his momentum carried him right between Baldwin's widened stance. Yao leaned so far back his ponytail was grazing the tile as he seized both of Baldwin's ankles.

Yao pulled and Baldwin fell face first to the ground with a surprised cry, his face colliding solidly with the cold, hard tiles, a loud thud echoed through the office.

Yao came just as quickly to his feet again, chest heaving, head swimming, heart pumped full of adrenaline, prepared for the fight to continue when he realized this fall had knocked Baldwin unconscious.

Yao was still trying to catch his breath when he recalled the whole reason he'd won that fight.

 _The best teacher I could have asked for._

He reaffirmed to himself with a small nod.

After looking around at the disaster area that the office had become, Yao shrugged as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his OEE agent I.D.

He stared at it for a few moments, and then something flashed before his eyes.

Just beyond reach was that feeling of belonging, he glanced around and saw them all around him, counting on him, there for _him_ to count on should he ever need too. Camaraderie was unremarkable, it was average for all students to be so closely woven together that even miles upon miles away, Yao still received every ounce of their compassion and care for him.

Something inside his heart had cracked the second he realized it.

Everything was familiar, blissfully commonplace, in that far away world of red and black.

Tossing the I.D onto Baldwin's prone form, Yao turned his back on the man with a roll of his shoulders.

"Looks like I'm fired, aru." He said, rubbing his cheek, honestly, every inch of him felt like it needed an ice pack, but now he had more pressing matters to attend to.

When he pulled his hand away their was blood on his fingertips.

"Yao! You have a bloody nose!"

Bella was there, quick to produce her handkerchief for Yao to stanch the blood up.

"Thanks, aru."

Yao said, voice now a little muffled from his blocked nose.

Bella looked anxiously from Baldwin, lying on the ground, to Yao, who's eyes were still slightly unfocused.

"What are you going to do now?" She asked worriedly.

Yao looked back at the I.D, still up for grabs on Baldwin's unconscious back.

The chinese turned his back and slammed the door to the office shut, hopefully postponing the discovery of the likely concussion bearing Baldwin, among other possible side effects of the brawl.

"I'm going home."

He said before breaking into a run again towards their base, feeling his body coming under is control again as he smoothly lowered himself from the high of combat with breathing techniques and mental tricks that Professor Ancient Egypt had taught.

Yao bursted through the door of the base and scaled the ladder in flash.

The golden eyed boy hurriedly shoved his computer into it's bag and slung it over his shoulder, he didn't have time to waste packing up everything. He tossed the two pictures from his bedside table into his computer bag, shoved in his beloved panda, the super man blanket Alfred had made, the overlarge red scarf Ivan had knitted, and made to leave.

When he recalled something very important.

He reached into the closet and drew out the attire he'd been hiding away.

 _Just in case, hmm?_

He thought to himself, shaking his head as slipped his bag from his shoulder and set it onto the ground.

He began to unbutton his OEE uniform shirt.

 _I look terrible in khaki anyway._

 ** _In the parking garage._**

When Yao had left the base, Bella had been gone, he didn't blame her, and he certainly didn't want the girl to lose her job because of him.

He threw his things into the back of a van that he'd used on missions once before. Not bothering with opening the trunk, he merely hurled the single bag over his shoulder into the expanse of the back of the van.

He must have been to distracted by his current mission to notice the soft, stifled, squeak that had been produced when his bag had landed.

 _Looks like snatching that extra set of keys was a good idea after all._

Yao praised himself as he got into the car.

 _If I drive at the fastest possible speed without getting pulled over, I should be able to make it there in just under five hours. I just hope those directions Mr. Empire suggested I memorize are correct._

Yao got into the drivers seat and pulled around to the front of the gate, overly long sleeves concealing multiple weapons rolled back in order to grip the wheel of the van.

He approached the single long road that led away from the complex.

No one was coming.

He floored the gas pedal, the van tripling in speed and leaving tread marks behind it as he urged it forward.

It slammed through the small toll gate that cut off the road, the man inside attempted to stop him but Yao was already gone, the van tearing a path down the single road and off onto a branching street.

He didn't even glance into the rear view mirror.

Yao accessed the memory of the carefully read through directions of the fastest possible way back to the academy from the OEE complex.

Yao felt almost relieved when he saw the highway coming into view.

He pulled onto the highway, set the cruise control and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"So, where are we going?" A chipper voice questioned only inches from his ear.

"AII-YAH!"

* * *

 _ **Amethyst: Well, theres a fight scene! And a flashback from Yao's earlier days at the academy! He wasn't always this kick butt!**_

 _ **Yao: I learned when I was a first and second year, aru! I started to rise up during my third year, and by my fourth year I was the best in the academy.**_

 ** _Gojosen: Well, you were pretty ok._**

 ** _Yao: Pretty ok?_**

 ** _Gojosen: Alright...you were so-so._**

 ** _Amethyst: He reminds me of a proud father that doesn't want to inflate their sons head to much._**

 ** _Yao and Gojosen: We are NOT father and son!_**

 ** _Amethyst: Ok, ok, calm down, sheesh._**

 ** _Wisteria: My I ask a quick question?_**

 ** _Amethyst: Please do._**

 ** _Wisteria: Am I going to be in this story at all?_**

 ** _Amethyst: You already had a story to yourself, you shared with the other micro nations some but it was mostly you.  
_**

 ** _Wisteria: True *sigh* I just want to help the academy some._**

 ** _Amethyst: Exactly why I'll give you more of a roll then Alfred!_**

 ** _Alfred: HEY! NO FAIR!_**

 ** _Wisteria: Yay! Ok! Favorite, follow, and review everyone! Thank you all so much for reading!_**


	8. The story of us, Hetalia Academy

_**Here we go again! Please enjoy! Also, I am ashamed of some of you! Netherlands speaking in a chipper voice? Did you really think I would be that OOC? *Sigh***_

* * *

Yao felt almost relieved when he saw the highway coming into view.

He pulled onto the highway, set the cruise control and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"So, where are we going?" A chipper voice questioned only inches from his ear.

"AII-YAH!"

Yao barely managed to avoid swerving when Bella's head suddenly came sticking out from the back of the van.

"B-Bella? What are you doing here, aru?"

Yao demanded, chest heaving, heart hammering wildly in panic as the girl clambered into the passenger seat.

"I knew if I asked you'd never let me come with you, so I stowed away in the van." She replied easily as she fastened her seatbelt before turning to Yao and smiling cheerfully.

"I wasn't about the let you take off all by yourself." She exclaimed.

Yao groaned. "I cannot believe you would do something like this for me, what about your job?"

Bella blinked twice, green eyes wide and curious, as if she'd forgotten entirely about the job and was completely clueless to what Yao was talking about. Realization of what he was talking about flashed and she sighed.

"I wanna quit."

"WHAT!?" Yao banged his hand on the frame of the wheel, a few times for good measure.

"Stop following my example, aru! It's good pay, and it's a good position, plus your brother is there, what more do you want?"

Bella giggled.

"I hated it there. It's so dull, nothing fun or exciting. Big brother doesn't mind that kind of thing, he likes the rules and protocol. But it isn't for me. But that video call I saw with all of your friends...even if it's not like that all the time, I want to be a part of something like that. It would be so much better for me, even if I don't get paid much. I'll figure something out."

Yao eyed her awkwardly before redirecting his eyes to the endless road stretching out in front of them.

"Erm...ok, aru."

"So when are we catching a plane?"

Yao kept his eyes firmly glued on the road.  
"We aren't taking a plane."

He responded, grip tightening on the drivers wheel.

Bella furrowed her brow.  
"Well, how else are we going to get to China?" She demanded, looking over at him in frustration, crossing her arms with a huff that caused her light brown curled hair to bounce.

Yao shook his head.  
"We aren't going to China, aru."

Bella then took notice of what Yao was wearing.

"Where did you get that outfit?" She asked then, looking confused.

Yao sighed and looked down at the insignia on his lapel.

Of all the things for Rome to send him for good luck, he sent along his mission uniform, his black robe with thick red cuffs, overly long sleeves chock full of useful items, red pants that puffed out from over black leg wraps and black slippers. How many times had he dodged the bullets of Morgan's men with those long sleeves swishing to hurl explosives? How many times had he dove into the back of his teams van and landed hard on the bunched black silky material of the rumpled robe? How many times had he sprinted from buildings just seconds before they erupted into flames with these same black slippers meeting the ground, be it pavement, or grass, or gravel?

Yao shook his head.

Last time he'd worn this uniform, he'd been standing beside the academy elite, he'd been _a part_ of the academy's elite.

He'd _still_ _been_ China.

Yao tightened and loosened his grip on the wheel, fidgeting as he struggled with the choice. Finally, he took a hesitant breath, large golden orbs flicking up to meet Bella's eyes for but a moment before he was forced to return his gaze to the road.

"Bella, I'm going to have to trust you with a very large secret. So large that if you tell anyone I will not hesitate to do whatever it takes to protect it."

Yao fixed her with a serious look, golden eyes lit with determination.

"Whatever it takes." He repeated.

Bella swallowed.

"I won't tell anyone."

"Not even your brother. No one. Ever. In your entire life." Yao reiterated.

"No one."

Bella promised.

Yao exhaled and sat back in the drivers seat slightly, eyes on the road.

"I was not trained in a camp in China, aru. I was training at the only super spy academy in the world. The _best_ training facility for young operatives in the world. The best teachers, only the best students get in, aru. I was one of the few who was chosen solely because of my physical abilities. My academics just had to keep up. I was at the bottom of my class a lot, only because I was the average, everyday student competing with geniuses, the most brilliant that any place, anywhere had to offer."

Bella looked greatly confused.

"Wait...there is a _school_ for super spies?" She demanded in shock.

Yao nodded.

"You've seen some of it, aru. I called it Alfred's apartment, but the place all of my friends gather in during video chats is really the base I used to live in. Third level down from the main building. The academy is also an organization within itself, and a lot of former students choose to remain with them as agents. I was offered a place at the OEE, it would be better pay then Mr. Empire could offer me, so I accepted without a thought."

Bella blinked, her round green almond eyes were disbelieving.

"A school for super spies..."

She whispered, awestruck at the mere idea of such a thing actually existing.

"It's a secret. Not even the city that they're located in knows the true reason for it's existence, aru."

Bella seemed to be slowly taking this in, but it didn't appear like she was fully going to believe him until they actually arrived at the academy itself.

"And this academy. What is it called?"

Yao smiled softly.

"Hetalia. Hetalia Academy."

Bella frowned. "That's a strange name."

"It's a strange school, aru." Yao rebutted.

Bella crossed her arms.  
"So you were a foreign student then?"

Yao recalled he hadn't told her that last detail yet.

"I forgot, aru. Only three students from every country of the world are allowed at Hetalia Academy, aru. They have about one hundred different nationalities represented. My siblings and I were all born in different countries, so we were accepted because of that."

Bella's jaw dropped.

"So that's why all of your friends had different accents! They were from everywhere on the planet! That's amazing!"

Yao nodded, "It really is. We never would have met had it not been for the academy."

"So why are you going back now?" Bella asked.

"Because our worst enemy has returned. He hacked the academy's mainframe and initiated lockdown. Everyone is trapped within the building, aru. From what I heard the enemy has also managed to enter the building with all of my former classmates trapped inside. I need to find a way to get the building out of lockdown, or else I don't know what might happen."

Yao sighed and tightened his grip on the wheel, all of these thoughts running through his mind were driving him insane.

For all he knew, everyone had already been slaughtered by Morgan, and he should be driving in the opposite direction, away from the danger.

That made him struggle to avoid breaking the speed limit, that cumbersome number on those signs was all holding him back from shooting full speed, as fast as this stolen van could move towards that far away cliff top that held the academy on it's edge.

 ** _Many Many Many Many Miles later._**

Bella was dozing in the passenger seat and the sun was beginning to go down when the first lights of the city came into view.

Yao swore he was going to cry with relief that the stressful drive was over.

Bella stirred as they entered the city streets, the lights of the town prying open her eyelids, Yao maneuvering the white van through the busy intersections.

They went straight past it.

Of course they just had to have gone right past it.

No averting your eyes from that _abomination_.

"Whoa...what happened there?"

Bella whispered.

The Morgan Skyscraper towered above them as they sat at the red light located directly in front of it. The mammoth building was in the midst of repair, but rubble still littered the grass around it and windows were shattered and yet to be replaced.

" _That_ is what happens to people who attempt to hurt Hetalia Academy."

Yao replied.

Bella blinked, then did a double take at the skyscraper that was still missing a roof.  
"Wait, your school did _that_?" She demanded in shock.  
"Yes, aru. I was there, diving out the back door when the explosion shook the whole building. Finland always did know how to make things go boom, aru. Remember my little brother that fell out a window? He was actually thrown out of the second story of that building right there while fighting off Morgan's soldiers, trying to give the other teams time to reach the top floor, aru. And that boy, Lukas, who was trying to avoid wearing a sling? He had been shot in the collarbone by Morgan himself."

Bella was still struggling to wrap her head around this group of mostly teenage vigilantes blowing the roof of a very expensive looking skyscraper.

"So that's where your worst enemy was based, I'm assuming?"

She guessed, craning her neck to look back at the skyscraper as Yao urged the van forward, trying to convince the lazy driver in front of them to get moving.

"Aii-yah! The speed limit not two mile per hour, aru! Got place to be!"

Yao shouted, honking the horn of the van.

Bella snickered.  
"You know, your chinese accent really comes out when you're angry."  
"Whatever, aru." He grumbled, not caring about the thickness of his accent at that moment in time.

At long last they managed to reach the tree line and headed into the thick forest that cut off the academy on the cliff side.

Yao pulled over to the edge of the road and turned off the van.

"On foot from here, we can't risk them spotting us."

Bella nodded and slipped out of the car, her heeled boots hitting the dirt with barely a sound.

"Which way?"

"Straight." Yao replied with ease, stepping out from around the car.

"Here, you might need it."

Yao handed a small cylindrical thing over to Bella.

Bella stared at the device.  
"What is it?"

"If you pull that pin out of the top and throw it, it'll stick to what it hits and then blow up."

Bella stared at him.

"Why do you have that in your sleeve?"  
Yao rolled his eyes.  
"Why, she asks..." He grumbles under his breath without giving an answer as he trudges into the trees.

Bella hurriedly followed.

Yao broke into a run as they got closer to their supposed destination, and when they arrived at steep beginning of incline that was even higher then before, Yao held up his hand.  
"Here's hoping they haven't removed me from the scanners recognition list yet, aru."

Yao whispered to her before leaning against the hump and scratching at the located a false piece of the turf and peeled it back with careful fingers.

A small panel was revealed, and Yao leaned closer, opening his golden eyes wider.

A red beam flashed across his iris, the scanner was independent of the main system, so Yao was at least confident that the entry would not be detected by Morgan's techies.

If there was to be an entry.

Yao gritted his teeth when nothing happened and leaned back, away from the scanner, staring at it in frustration.

"Please, aru..." He begged.

Suddenly, that automated voice rang out into the forest, flooding Yao with sweet relief.  
"Recognized."

It spoke in monotone as a crack split the hill, revealing the door hidden away beneath the grass.

"Welcome, Wang Yao, fourth year graduate, formerly of Team Allies."

Yao exhaled the breath he'd been holding.

"It let me in. Good." He managed.

That is, before a hand shot out of the darkness of the tunnel, seized him by the wrist, and threw him, sending him hurtling into the dimly lit secret passage.

* * *

 _ **Alfred: AHHHH It's a ghost! The ghost got Yao! AHHH what do we do bros!? How are we gonna banish it!? Do we need a shaman!? Or a witch doctor? Or do we need some sort of evil chant and sacrifice or something!? Wait what if it's a demon? AHHHHHHHHHH!**_

 _ **Amethyst: Will you please kindly shut up?**_

 _ **Alfred: ...sorry...**_

 ** _Amethyst: Thank you. Well. Now that thats over with. I wanted to address another important issue. I wanted to inform everyone that this story is about half way completed with the posting of this chapter._**

 ** _Alfred: ...wait..._**

 ** _Mathias: ...does that mean..._**

 ** _Kaiser: NO MORE ART!?_**

 ** _Amethyst: You guys are all seriously annoying, you know that right? Except Kaiser, little cutie pie could never irritate me._**

 ** _Rome: To put it simply, this really IS going to be the final story, isn't it?  
_**

 ** _Amethyst: Don't go through all that protesting junk again, will ya? It was hard enough writing five of them trying to make them all equally good with strong plots. Not to mention I've been carving out as much time to write as possible from my schoolwork. Which is really, really hard to do._**

 ** _Rome: *sigh* We understand. We won't pester you about it._**

 ** _Entire academy: WE WON'T!?_**

 ** _Rome: NO. We won't._**

 ** _Entire academy: Awwwwwww... *Starts putting away protesting signs*_**

 ** _Amethyst: Thanks for being understanding, guys! I really appreciate it! Sign off for this chapter, ready, go!_**

 ** _Entire academy: THANKS FOR READING AND FOLLOWING US THROUGH FIVE AMAZING STORIES! PLEASE FAVORITE, FOLLW, REVIEW, AND COME READ THE NEXT CHAPTER!_**


	9. The graduates tunnel

_**Please enjoy the next chapter!**_

* * *

Bella shrieked and Yao flipped in mid air when he was thrown, catching himself on his feet and charging the unseen foe without thought.

He was promptly punched lightning fast in the stomach, seized by the arm, and just before he could get presumably thrown yet again, Yao saw a flash of red and black and shouted out.

"PROFESSOR STOP!"

The attacker froze in his assault, and now, with less of himself being thrown about like a rag doll, Yao was able to recognize him.

"Professor Gojosen." He sighed with relief, clutching at his stomach.

The man stood there in all of his intimidating glory, large brown eyes wide when he realized who this supposed intruder was.

Chang looked absolutely stunned.

"Yao? Why are you here? Disobeying a direct order from the Headmaster?" He demanded, releasing Yao's wrist from his painfully tight grip.

Yao winced, so maybe his professor wasn't as happy to see Yao as Yao was to see him.

"I didn't have a choice, sir. I had to come help." Yao insisted.

Gojosen rolled his eyes, not seeming to accept this as a good answer, then he glanced back over to Bella.

"And you brought your girlfriend?" He asked skeptically, jacking a thumb in her direction.

"Professor!" Yao yelped, covering his now flushed scarlet face as Bella giggled.

"Why does everyone thing you and I are a couple?" She asked no one in particular.

Gojosen shrugged and crossed his arms.

Yao sighed and dropped his arms to his sides.

"She stowed away in my car, so I had to bring her along. She and I were partners at the OEE and we..."

Gojosen shook his head, cutting Yao off, his expression was hardened and intense.

"I'm not concerned with that. All I need to know now is if she can keep up."

Yao glanced over to Bella, and Bella waited for Yao's response with baited breath.

Yao then gave a swift, confident nod.

"I'm sure she can."

Bella fisted her hands, an eager smile spreading across her face. "I can handle this, I came because I want to help!"

Gojosen uncrossed his arms. "Fine then, get in here, we can't have Morgan being alerted to the Graduates Tunnel."

He gestured the two inside before moving over the scanner at the door.

"Voice recognition. Professor Chang Zhao. Codename Gojosen. Seal the exit."

He spoke clearly.

The scanner hummed, then a click was heard, and the door mechanism whirred to life, the door closing and locking again, the grassy camouflage following suit.

The lights came on, revealing a long tunnel that began to slope fairly steeply upwards as it went along.

Yao glanced to the side and was surprised to see a picture of him hung at the very entrance. He was posed for a landing, long sleeves and robe billowing, as he dropped downward, a look of concentration on his face. Eyes wide, and mouth half open. Yao recognized the photo, it was taken at his exit ceremony, the last time he'd been thrown into the air by a land mine.

He leaned forward and read the small panel beneath it.

 _Wang Yao._

 _Fourth year graduate, formerly codenamed China. Founding member of Team Allies._

 _Yao was the former best hand to hand combat fighter of the academy, he is well remembered for his incredible strength and abilities in comparison to his short stature. His abilities contributed to raising his team, the Allies, to the number one spot in the academy and holding them there for two of his four years in term. He was always volunteering his time to help teach younger recruits the basics of hand to hand fighting. Yao was also noted for being the harp player of our school orchestra, and a contributor to our art galleries oriental style paintings. The most memorable thing any peers had to say about Yao, though, was to always remember never to insult Hello Kitty in front of him._

"Aii-yah! Everyone remembers me for not liking it when Alfred would diss Hello Kitty?" Yao demanded to no one in particular.

"Indeed." Gojosen said with a nod.

Yao sighed heavily as they moved down the tunnel, and at that moment Yao realized that while they were here, he had another important thing to bring up.

"Professor." He began.

Gojosen grunted to show he was listening.

"I met a man named Garth at the OEE. He watched me fight and asked me if I knew a man by the name of Chang Zhao. I worry he recognized you as my teacher due to my technique, aru."

Gojosen looked stunned for a but a moment, before snickering.  
"He was always such a braggart. Tell me you gave him a good beating for me, Yao?"

Yao smiled awkwardly.  
"I threw his best operative into a wall. Guess I picked it up the habit from you."

Gojosen leaned back and crossed his arms with a satisfied look on his face.

"Ha!" He barked.

Yao raised an eyebrow in concern.

Gojosen looked up to him in the half light of the tunnel and spoke.

"Garth is the former operative Poland. He was trained here in my generation, he took a job at the OEE almost fifteen years ago now, just after he graduated a fifth year...oh...or you could just read his graduates plaque."  
Gojosen gestured to the side.

Yao turned and was surprised to see an image of the combat instructor in a Hetalia, then Ancient Academy, combat uniform similar to the current representer of Poland's.

"Wow..." Yao breathed.

"No wonder he saw right through my cover story, he recognized it was one that the school used."

Gojosen sniffed, crossing his arms again as he glared at the image of the young Garth grinning cheekily.

"It just goes to show you that there are Hetalia operatives all around. Everywhere, their is a friend in reach. You and him would most likely have never made the connection that you were trained in the same academy. It would have only come to light had there been some sort of threat to you. I am pleased to know that we have someone watching over our kids at the OEE. You'll be in good hands, even if Garth acts like a..."

"...an arrogant peacock?" Yao guessed.

Gojosen let out another strong bark of laughter.

"Wish you had said that to his face!"

Yao exhaled with relief that his professor thought the same of his old classmate as Yao did.

Bella took a timid breath. "I really hate to interrupt, but could you please explain to me why there are pictures and plaques all in this tunnel?"

Gojosen glanced back at Bella, looking her up and down, as if sizing up her trustworthiness with the gaze, before taking a breath to speak.

"You see, when we first built this tunnel, we figured it would be a good place to put up a small tribute to all of our graduated students. We took to hanging their photos and writing a small paragraph describing them as a person. If you were look up Yao in our archives, you'd see his name, his grade average, and his major among other things. Nothing about him as a person. We decided to remedy that with this tunnel. Also, if a former student ever had to return to the academy, they would come through this tunnel, it leads directly to the headmaster's office. Hence the name Graduates Tunnel."

Yao nodded along, he'd seen the tunnel once or twice, and it was known to all of the students since they all had to know every entry and exit to the academy in case of emergency.

Bella had another question to pose to the wise sensei before her. "So, you trained Yao?"

"I did. Him and almost a hundred other hard headed recruits." Gojosen scoffed.

"I thought I was one of your best, professor, aru?" Yao couldn't help but ask, it was the right timing.

Gojosen sighed heavily. "Perhaps in your ability, but you were very difficult to deal with, what with the amount of hours you missed in the dojo to spend in remedial classes."

Yao winced when Bella gasped.

"You had to take remedial classes?"

Before Yao could attempt to save his pride, Gojosen spoke over him.

"He took more then any other student in the academy. You're lucky Ancient Greece was grading your final exams, or you'd be sitting your butt up with the other students, as trapped as they are. I tell you, if Professor Britannia had been grading, you never would have graduated."

Yao groaned softly as Bella giggled. "But he told me that he was just an average student in an academy full of geniuses."

Gojosen glanced at Yao. "While we do have plenty of geniuses you were still way below what I would view as average."

"Yao sighed in defeat.

"I may have skipped out on most of middle school and my freshmen year, but I was working to support my siblings..."

Gojosen shrugged.

"We aren't about to have a pity party over your tough childhood, we're talking about your crappy grades after the fact."

Yao slouched his shoulders. "I give up, aru."

Gojosen looked over at Yao, he was one of the few students he had had that _wasn't_ taller then him.

"You were the best of the generation in _my_ class. Maybe you failed world history, maybe you needed tutoring in math and english, maybe you struggled in advanced languages, and maybe you were completely hopeless in computer labs and workshops, but you were the best when it came down to a plain and simple fight."

Yao could have sworn that Gojosen had just praised him more in those two sentences then he had ever done during Yao's entire four years at the academy put together.

"Thank you, sir." Yao said honestly.

Gojosen rolled his dark brown eyes. "Alright, now that we've properly gone over your many shortcomings, lack of success, and unbelievable failures during your education, that's get on to the problem at hand."

And now Yao was shuffling along with his head bent over in despair with Bella struggling to hide her laughter at the curious dynamic between the hard hearted professor and who had admittedly been his favorite student.

* * *

 _ **Amethyst: I've been looking forward to that chapter.**_

 _ **Yao: Why? I just got humiliated!**_

 _ **Amethyst: I wanted to build up Gojosen's character a bit, you don't really see much of him otherwise.**_

 _ **Gojosen: And who's fault is that?**_

 _ **Amethyst: Not my fault you aren't cannon.**_

 _ **Gojosen: Cannon?**_

 _ **Kiku: She is yet again referring to the fact that this entire universe is manipulated by her and her readers whims. Our 'cannon' simply means that you exist or not in the universe from which we originate. There is not a 'cannon' character for Gojosen in our original universe, therefore, our author took it upon herself to create not only you but also several other of our professors, including Professor Ancient Greece, Professor Native America, Professor Ancient Egypt, and Professor Britannia. She also created Rooke Morgan, or Carthage, herself. On the other hand, Professor Germania and Headmaster Rome are bother so-called 'cannon' because they exist in our original universe under their own country names.**_

 _ **Amethyst: ...where did you learn all this stuff from?**_

 _ **Kiku: I have been doing research in an attempt to...how do you say? Break the 4th wall?**_

 _ **Amethyst: Thats what you're doing right now.**_

 _ **Kiku: Oh. Well. Mission completed. I will go report to Headmaster Rome now. *Walks away***_

 _ **Amethyst: WHAT!? He told you to do that research!? If he was my OC he'd be so dead!**_

 _ **Rome: *Sticks tongue out***_

 _ **Amethyst: Shut up! Anyway...ugh...I guess...er...YOU! *Points* YOU DO IT!**_

 _ **Francis: Eh? You mean the sign off? Right away, oh powerful**_ ** _author! All of you readers please favorite, follow, and review! It is much appreciated!_**

 ** _Arthur: Suck up to the author, hmm?_**

 ** _Francis: I would do no such thing!_**

 ** _Amethyst: Both of you shut up. Bye everyone!_**


	10. Tumbling into trouble

_**Please enjoy the next chapter!**_

* * *

The trio was making their way up the increasingly steep slope of the tunnel.

"Professor, have you got any sort of plan?" Yao questioned.

"Not at all. But I do have an idea of what is going on. Morgan has managed to hack our sources, so we need to free one of our own techies to do the same, hack them back. We have a major draw back, Morgan's forces have entered the academy building and are guarding all of the direct accesses to the main frame. Not to mention everyone somehow vanished into thin air. Rome must have figured a way to hide all the students from Morgan's forces, not sure exactly how, though."

Yao nodded along as Gojosen explained, before feeling a buzzing in his pocket.

He pulled out his phone and was surprised to find Alfred's name onscreen.

He flipped it open.

"America, aru?" Yao spoke.

"Yao! Dude, Morgan took over the school, this is so totally bad, we are so totally screwed, you're still in New York, right? Please don't come back for your visit, man, we don't want you to get dragged in."

Yao sighed softly.

"America, I'm..."

"AHHH!"

Yao jumped and stopped walking, eyes wide.

"America!? America, answer me! America!" Yao shouted into the phone.

A scuffle had broken across the opposite end of the cell, Yao strained his hearing to attempt to figure out what was going on.

Finally, he managed to make out something tangible.

"Everyone, shut up!" Someone with a heavy british accent hissed.

All was quiet for a time just long enough to cause paralyzing worry.

"England?" Yao whispered into the phone, Gojosen and Bella stared at him, awaiting an explanation.

"Ok, bro, can you hear me?" America whispered.

"America! You scared me! What's happening?" Yao demanded.

America was panting on his end of the phone, clearly exhausted and panicking.

"We just had to scramble back through the air shafts, a squad of Morgan's men almost caught us."

"You're in the _air shafts_?" Yao cried incredulously, Bella and Gojosen both looking equally surprised at this information they were able to glean from Yao's statement.

"Yeah, Headmaster ordered everyone to climb up into the air shafts. They're the only place in the academy that doesn't have any major tracking sensors, or cameras. Morgan doesn't know we're up here yet, but we'll be found out soon enough."

"Aii-yah! That is the stupidest place to hide ever, aru! You're all trapped, now!"

"We were trapped anyway, dude! Oh, wait, hold up."

The phone was muffled.

"Kay..."

Alfred's voice came back over.

"Here, Iggy wants to talk."

The phone was handed over and Arthur's voice came through.

"Yao, can you hear me, mate?"

"Yes, aru. What is going on over there?" Yao questioned.

There was a clanking noise Yao now recognized as them crawling around in the metallic air shafts.

"Well, things have honestly gone to hell. Morgan's got squads patrolling the entire academy, the lock down has one advantage, sealing off the library, anyone inside safely with it. Also, it locks away all of our sensitive information, files, and such. That's safe, the only way Morgan can reach it is by lifting the lock down, therefore freeing all of us to escape. Anyway, mate, listen, this doesn't concern you. You're not a student here, or an operative, not anymore. So stay away, alright? Last thing we need is dragging you down with us."

"Arthur, I'm walking into the Headmaster's office right now, aru."

Yao replied snidely as he crawled from the hatch into the Graduates Tunnel, onto the black wood floors of the Headmaster's office.

"WHAT?" Arthur bellowed into Yao's ear.

Yao winced but persisted.

"You're all my friends, not to mention my family is here as well. I'll be seeing you soon. You've just given me an idea, aru."

Yao clicked the phone shut as Gojosen turned and sealed the secret entry into the Graduates Tunnel yet again.

"You mentioned something about an idea?"

He asked as he turned back to his former student.

"The library...er..." Yao scratched the back of his head.

"I may or may not have a way for us to get in and use the computers inside, aru." He admitted finally.

Gojosen's eyes bugged.

"What? But it's impossible to get into the library during a lock down."

Yao was looking everywhere but in his teachers eyes.

"The Allies...well...we might have not really liked being stuck within the school every night during curfew ...so maybe we hacked the scanner to let us into the library...so we could climb out the window and go into the city at night and sneak back in before morning."

Gojosen's eye twitched.

"You broke curfew and snuck into the city without permission? You also tampered with security systems in place to protect you?"

Yao put up two hands in surrender.

"I was the one protesting it, honestly! It was entirely Alfred's idea, aru! The others just went along with it, I wasn't about to let them get in trouble alone!"

Gojosen scowled, clearly upset with the Allies's antics, but then massaged his forehead and groaned.

"I should be furious, I should be screaming at you. But right now, I'm glad you did it. Listen to me, I need to stay here, I'm going to try and get into the mainframe from here, as well as guard the dangerous info stored away up here that Morgan will come for eventually. You're a graduate here, therefore should be able to take care of yourself in this situation. We're counting on you."

Yao nodded firmly, then waved to Bella to follow him.

They tip toed out into the hall.

Seeing the coffee colored hallways and the black wooded floors again was an experience Yao swore he'd never forget. After two months struggling through time at the OEE it was wonderful to be back, at long last within his well missed world of red and black. Under such perilous circumstances, the mood was rather dampened, but Yao felt that silent thrill nonetheless. Bella was looking around the halls with wide, cautious eyes. She was hyper aware that a deadly squad of men could be coming around the corner at any turn.

"This school." She whispered finally.

Yao glanced back at her. "What about it?"

She smiled softly. "It really is worth getting homesick over."

Yao nodded. "You bet, aru. This place _is_ home."

Before anymore words could be spoken, Yao let out a startled gasp when a sudden clattering noise filled his ears and he was suddenly taken hard to the floor by a weight landing square on his shoulders.

Bella shrieked and dropped into a stance for combat.

"Ouchie..."

A dizzy little boy with long silvery braids was splayed across Yao's shoulders, and a cry instantly erupted from the air duct.

"Kaiser! Kugelmugel, you ok!?"

Yao groaned and rolled over when Bella darted forward and lifted the dizzy austrian from his back.

"Who are you?" She asked gently, this boy was dressed head to toe in red and black, from the tip of his red beret to the toe of his black ankle boots, so she assumed that he was not the enemy.

"They are destroying our art! Our art! We much defend it!"

Kaiser cried out, waving his arms around in the air and kicking his feet.

Bella struggled to keep the squirming child in her arms until Yao stood up.

"Yao!"

Kugelmugel instantly reached towards him, arms out, feet spinning in the air.

"Put him down, Bella, he's a friend."

Yao promised.

The second his feet touched the ground Kugelmugel powered straight into Yao's stomach, hugging him. Yao put both hands on the young boys back with a small smile.

"Good to see our youngest operative is ok." He commented.

"Yao? Wait, China!?" Wisteria's head emerged from the air duct.

Yao looked up to her and waved.

"Ni hao, Wy, aru." He greeted.

"Ah! Yao, I don't know why you're here but I'm so glad you are! We need someone who actually knows what they're doing!"

Wisteria cried happily as she dropped from the duct, dissuading Bella's offer to help with a wave of her hand. She landed with ease and ran up to her former band mate. She was wearing her mission uniform, as was Kugelmugel. Of course, the boys short, puffed out shorts and pin striped leggings were a bit more eccentric then her own long backed waist to neck zipped black jacket, and red half top stamped with the academy logo. She was wearing black khaki shorts and black ankle boots.

She grasped Yao's arm and tugged.

"The rest of our team was in the mess hall, me and Kugelmugel crawled into the air vents from the art gallery when we heard that someone was invading!" She exclaimed breathlessly.

"They will take away our art! We must defend it at all costs!"

Kugelmugel cried out, thankfully not attempting his usual stunt of running in some random direction as quickly as possible.

Bella squealed and Kaiser blinked, wide, round, child like eyes enlarged in confusion.

"What is wrong?" He asked, turning to her.

"Yao! You didn't tell me your school had these adorable little things in it!"

Bella cried.

Wisteria crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks.

"Hmph. Am not." She grumbled.

Yao grabbed sighed and massaged his forehead.

"Thats Kugelmugel, and that's Wy." He said, putting a hand on each of their shoulders.

Bella furrowed her brow.

"Those names...are really...unique."

"Wy isn't my real name! It's a codename! We're super spies too! We're here because we can keep up with the big kids!" Wisteria exclaimed proudly, putting her hands on her hips.

"Yeah!" Kaiser backed her up.

"I wouldn't go so far as keep up..." Yao mumbled, recalling the failed lessons during which he'd been tutoring the micro nations in hand to hand combat.

"We saved the orchestra! You and your entire family included!" Wisteria protested.

Yao put up his hands in a surrendering gesture.

"I remember, I remember." He assured.

"I scored higher in my finals then you did!" Kaiser pointed out, waving his arms around.

Yao groaned and covered his face with his hands, slumping.

"Thats information I could have lived without."

Kugelmugel smiled wider, seeming to be proud of his feat.

"You're eleven, how did you get that smart that fast?" Yao demanded.

"Art!" Was Kaiser's immediate reply.

Yao slumped his shoulders again. "I should have seen that one coming."

Bella nodded quickly. "Alright, I get it, Yao sucked at school and you guys are tiny, adorable geniuses. Yao, where are we going?" Bella asked this question then, ignoring the glare Yao shot her.

Yao didn't have to bend much, but he did so slightly in order to look the two younger in the eye.  
"You two are coming with us. I'm not leaving you here alone."

"We wouldn't have let you leave us! What's the plan?" Wisteria questioned, pouncing on Yao's arm again. Kugelmugel grabbed onto the opposite.

Yao looked up the hall in the direction they needed to head.

"We need to try and get into the library, but first we need to find a techie. You two know of anyone who wasn't in the mess hall at the time of invasion?"

Wisteria and Kaiser looked at each other, grinning with the memory of the explosion that had set off all the smoke alarms only six hours beforehand, originating from the workshop.

There was only one gadgeteer that could cause an explosion that large on accident.

"Tino!"

* * *

 _ **Amethyst: See? I told you I'd make you appear, Tino!**_

 _ **Tino: Yay! Wait, I don't get kidnapped again do I?**_

 _ **Amethyst: I'm an author, I'm not heartless.**_

 _ **Tino: Phew.**_

 _ **Mathias: When do I get to be in it?**_

 _ **Amethyst: Erm...I think you and Lukas are arguing in the background of a phone call at some point.**_

 _ **Mathias: Oh *deflates***_

 _ **Lukas: I don't honestly care. We've been the center of two stories now, and we're supporting characters in the other three. We were even in this one for a while in the beginning.**_

 _ **Amethyst: How could I tell you wouldn't care?  
**_

 _ **Lukas: *shrugs***_

 _ **Amethyst: Whatever...hey! Hey guess what! I'm reposting Call us Hetalia to Archives of our Own under my usual pen name, Amethystfairy1!**_

 _ **Tino: Repost?**_

 _ **Amethyst: I'm putting up you guys's first story one chapter at a time! The original Call us Hetalia! So if you feel like re reading, or if you're just bored, pop over and let me know if anything looks different? Because that site is irritating to get a chapter onto, the page keeps freezing.**_

 _ **Mathias: Freezing?**_

 _ **Amethyst: You know, when the page stops working. Anyway, Nordic's, go!**_

 _ **Tino, Mathias, and Lukas: Please favorite, please follow, and please review! Thanks for reading and please read next time!**_

 _ **Tino:We've been doing this so long we're in perfect sync!**_


	11. Larry

**_Please enjoy the next chapter!_**

* * *

Yao knew for a fact, as they sprinted through the halls towards the main workshop, that this was likely a bad idea.

After all, the workshops were probable to be some of the places that Morgan had ordered his men to guard, especially the main one. But one of the best, if not _the_ best, student techie in the entire academy was trapped inside.

Yao hated always being right, he threw out an arm to bring the two kids and Bella to a halt in the hallway.

A small group of men were there, guns holstered at their sides, distracted in conversation with each other.

"So Mr. Morgan wasn't mad. This really is a super spy school."

"Ridiculous. But we gotta watch out, we're under orders to capture any little kiddies we happen to see, but if its anyone who puts up a good fight, he doesn't mind us using up a bullet or two."

Yao gritted his teeth as they backed a safe distance into the hall.

"How do we get Tino out? The air vents again?" Wisteria asked.

Yao shook his head.

"The air vents in the workshop are fitted with fans. Fans that happen to block that possible route."

Kaiser was amazed.  
"How do you know all this stuff?" He asked.

Yao raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well, I suppose it'll be next semester, they'll make you two memorize the academy lay out as well."

Wisteria gulped. "That sounds like a tough class."

Yao crossed his arms in frustration. "First we have to make sure their _will_ be a class, aru."

Kaiser frowned, he seemed to be deep in thought, he then seized one of his braids, stuffed the end in his mouth, and started chewing on it.

Wisteria instantly swatted it from his mouth.  
"I thought I told you to stop doing that! It's bad for your hair!" She hissed.

Kaiser ignored her, replacing the braid and continuing to chew.

Wisteria sighed, Kaiser's bad habit was impossible to break.

"Idea!" Kaiser cried out a little loudly, dropping his braid, the tip now saliva covered, to swing down to almost past his knees, joining the other braid that hung there.

His three companions jumped and instantly prepped to fight off the men who would come to investigate the noise.

Everyone calmed a bit when no one turned the corner and Yao turned to Kaiser.  
"What idea?" He asked, he was open to suggestions.

Kaiser looked up giddily.  
"We use a tricky trick!"

Yao stared at him in confusion.

"Tricky trick? What are you talking about, aru?" The graduate asked.

Kaiser's eyes shone, he was so pleased with his plan.

Wisteria didn't look to confident.

"If he suggests us throwing paint at them again...this won't end well."

 ** _One planning session later._**

"AHHHHH!"

Wisteria and Kaiser went rocketing around the corner.

"Hey! Those pip squeaks are students here?" The first of Morgans goons questions in shock.  
"Must be, they're wearing all red and black!"

Wisteria and Kaiser ran as fast as they could, dodging around the men, shrieking out.  
"Run! Run!"

One man's hand shot out and grabbed the back of Kaiser's vest lifting him up as Wisteria screeched to a halt at the end of the hall, looking back, breathless.

"There's a monster! Monster!" Kaiser shouted as he struggled to free himself.

All of the squad, five men total, stared at him.

The one holding him shook him hard.  
"Kid, what are you talking about?" He demanded.  
"One of the training robots got loose! It's gonna kill us!" Wisteria cried.

"The one that throws explosives!" Kaiser pressed on.

The man frowned.

"How on earth does something like that _'get loose_ '?"  
"Don't ask me!" Kaiser exclaimed before landing a kick to the man's stomach, causing him to loosen his fingers enough for Kaiser to hit the ground running. He and Wisteria continued to flee down the hall.

That was when a small ball rolled out into the hall, right to the mens feet.

One of them toed it in curiosity.

"What is..."

 _BOOM!_

The ball erupted with a deafening sound, flashing light.

All of the men covered their ears and staggered back, blinded by the flash grenade that had been wired to produce that insanely loud noise.

Yao and Bella charged out from around the corner, Kaiser and Wisteria came from the opposite side, caging the stunned enemies in. Yao ran directly at one of them and jumped, kicking him square in the chest, landing, and spinning to keep momentum, he brought his fist up and knocked the man out with a punishing blow to the jaw. Bella's lighting quick barrage subdued another man. Kaiser was quick to surprise, throwing all of his weight into the backs of another mans knees, he sent him toppling, and Wisteria reeled back her fist, small but strong, she knocked him out with several punches. Maybe not a quick or effective as Yao, who'd already taken down the other two opponents, but it got the job done.

"That worked. I can't believe it worked." Wisteria murmured as she and Kaiser worked together to drag their unconscious foe to the closet they had already located to lock them in before going back for the other man.

"Was the 'monster' thing really necessary, aru?" Yao asked as he struggled with another man, tossing him into the closet as Bella shrugged, she brought up the rear, not even breaking a manicured nail, she dragged the final two men to the closet and they locked them inside.

"Now we get Tino." Yao declared.

They jogged back to the workshop door, and Yao entered the passcode to unlock the door.

The door slid open and showed quite the sight.

A half constructed cannon was aimed at the door, therefore at them.

"That should do it!" Tino straightened up from the odd device, it was looked like a pirate cannon, except it was built from what appeared to be a salvaged metal pontoon float and had several gears and twisted cables protruding from it.

"Ready, and..." Tino nearly attempted to fire the thing before the micro nations shouted out his name.

"Tino!"

Tino halted, just about to tug the wire that would have likely caused the cannon to explode instead of functioning properly.

"Huh? Oh! Hiyaaa! So you two came to my rescue?"

He asked as he dropped the wire and walked over to them, smiling.

"Thanks for the assist! This cannon thing wasn't really cooperating anyway!"

"Couldn't you have just used a power saw or something, aru?" Yao asked.

Tino seemed to consider that, then shrugged.  
"I guess I figured building a cannon would be better!"

Yao slapped himself in the forehead.  
"Ridiculous."

Tino then recognized who was standing before him.

"Yao!" Tino pounced on him, hugging him around the shoulders and pinning his arms to his sides.  
"I can't believe it! You came back!"

"Why is everyone so surprised by that?" Yao grumbled under his breath.

Tino's violet eyes sparkled as he noticed Bella.  
"Hey! Isn't that your girlfriend from the chat video?"

"FINLAND!" Yao shouted in humiliation as Bella giggled again.

"We are not a couple! She's my old partner from the OEE! Now let's get moving!"

Tino gave him a close mouthed smile and put up his hands in surrender.

"Whatever you say, China."

"Shut up, aru! I don't like that smug tone!"

"Sorry, Dad."  
"Shut up!"

Yao stormed from the workshop with a snickering trio of his former classmates following him, Bella bringing up the rear.

They made a beeline for the library, having to duck and dodge past several squads of Morgans men as they did so.

Tino sighed heavily with a frown on his face as he fidgeted with his black tie, hanging out of his black vest. His usual military jacket had been abandon when he'd left his base to go to the workshop, so he was wearing dress pants, boots, a dress shirt with a red collar, and a black vest with an untucked necktie. His outfit was completed with his usual slightly puffy black hat.

Bella looked down at her tan and green attire.

"I feel like I'm sticking out."  
All of the red and black garbed academy students/former student glanced back at her with looks on their faces that said 'thats what you're worried about?'

Bella got the message and put up both hands, giggling sheepishly.

"Got it, not really the point." She said, nodding.

Yao gestured for them to continue on, and whispered.

"Be alert."

"Right." Everyone else agreed in a heartbeat.

They continued at their creeping pace, darting and sneaking around the squads patrolling the academy.

At long last, the libraries grand double doors came into sight, the usual dark polished wood was sealed away behind thick steel.

Tino then looked confused.

"Wait, how are you going to get in? You didn't expect me to be able to hack it, did you?" He asked, worried that his abilities would not suffice.

Yao shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, the coast is clear, aru. One...two...three!"

They all shot out across the hallway and gathered around the door, totally exposed to any who may come around either end of the long hallway.

Yao snapped open the scanner, the same one that was not connected to the main system. He bent to it and whispered.

"Voice recognition over ride, team Allies...I'm the hero!"

Everyone stared at Yao, surprised, they weren't used to hearing that phrase from him.

There was a soft beeping noise and the light turned green, a small crack appearing in the metal doorway, growing wide enough to shimmy through.  
"It only lasts about thirty seconds, hurry, through through."

Yao ordered, and everyone hurriedly slid through the crack before it snapped shut again behind them.

Everyone turned on Yao for an explanation of the keywords.

Yao shrugged nonchalantly.

"Alfred was the one who programed it, not me, aru." He said.

Tino dashed across the library, weaving around tables and dropping into a rolling office chair, his fingers instantly began to flit across the keyboard.

Meanwhile, the two present micro nations began to search the library for any other students, or any of Morgan's men if they'd managed to get in there.

Yao jumped when he heard Wy and Kugelmugel scream and come tearing back around the corner.

"HELP!"

Yao dropped into fighting stance, already reaching up his sleeve to draw a weapon.

The thing that had been chasing them appeared, it crept slowly out of the shadows. It had bright, glowing eyes like lanterns in the shade of the bookcase.

Yao gulped with Wy and Kugelmugel cowering behind him, Bella frozen and staring, and Tino so absorbed in his computer work that he didn't even notice anything was wrong.

The creature exited the shadows, they fell away from it's form to reveal it to the Hetalia Academy trainees.

"...Is that a cat, aru?" Yao asked, confused and lowering his arms from fighting pose.

The cat meowed up at them, then rubbed up against Kaiser's legs, purring.

"Aw...kitty!" Kugelmugel squealed, crouching down to pet the cat, who was a dull orange.

"Why on earth is there a cat in the library?" Wisteria asked, staring down at the feline, who seemed rather content to just sit and allow itself to be stroked by an excited silver haired austrian.

Yao's golden eyes then went wide.

"Wait...let me see that cat."

Yao demanded, picked up the cat from the ground and lifting it up.

He stared into it's eyes for a few moments before nodding twice.

"This is Larry."

* * *

 _ **Amethyst: I HATE EXAMS! *Curls up in corner* I just want it to be summer already...please...make it end!**_

 ** _Lilli: *Pats Amethyst on the back* Hang in there. You'll make it. It'll be over soon, I promise._**

 ** _Amethyst: If someone asks me ONE MORE TIME for an explanation in essay format on the LAST QUESTION I am going to SCREAM and throw my books out the window and then jump out myself!_**

 ** _Lilli: If it makes you feel any better we have exams too!_**

 ** _Amethyst: *Sniffle* Really?_**

 ** _Lilli: Of course! And it's very hard and we don't even really get a summer break._**

 ** _Alfred: Yeah, what the heck, Amethyst!? Why didn't you give us a summer break?  
_**

 ** _Amethyst: Because I didn't know what to do with all of you for two months and I didn't think it would be possible to ship you back home for the holidays since you were all kidnapped to go to Hetalia Academy._**

 ** _Alfred: Fair point._**

 ** _Lilli: Please favorite, follow, review, and give the author more time to finish her school before she has to update again! You're all the best, readers, thank you so much for supporting our stories! You all are what keeps our Academy alive! Thanks so much!_**


	12. Creating a plan

**_Please enjoy the next chapter!_**

* * *

"This is Larry."

Bella snorted at the randomness.

"Larry? Why Larry?"

Yao looked over at her seriously.  
"No, no, I'm not joking. That is this cats name, aru. Larry. Hercules has three cats. Bob, Larry, and Fred. This one is Larry."

Bella looked surprised at the confirmation.  
"Who's Hercules?"

Yao frowned.  
"He's a 4th year here at the academy. One of the few in the same year as me. He's twenty as well. He's obsessed with cats so much that Headmaster Rome let him bring his pet cats here after he literally passed out from a cat withdraw in art class and landed in a vat of clay, aru."

Bella looked taken a back, cocking her head to the side slightly with a dubious look on her face.

"No way."

"Way, aru. I was there. We're in the same art class." Yao said before he set Larry the cat down and tip toed down the towering shelves of books.

"I don't believe it." He said suddenly.

Kaiser and Wisteria ran over to him with no hesitation.

Wy gasped.  
"No way! It's Hercules!"

Sure enough, the current student representation of Greece was there, his head resting atop a book of stories from greek mythology. He was snoring softly, and his red cargo jacket was draped over his shoulders, his broad shoulders covered by a tight black tee shirt with red pants tucked into black combat boots.

As the Micro Nations raced over to try and wake the sleepy greek, Bella walked over to Yao to get a closer look.

"Erm...why is it so good that he's back here? I mean, I get we'll have an extra fighter, but..."

Yao shook his head.

"Bella, Hercules is _strong_. He's my old sparring partner, and the two of us would go against Professor Gojosen. I would always beat him, but it wasn't a one move knock out like it was against Warren. Not to mention Greece has the muscle that I lack, he seems lazy and uninterested to everyone, but he's probably one of the strongest for hi weight fighters in the academy."

Bella looked over at Hercules with a new light, just as she knew Yao's respect was difficult to gain, his complements were equally as hard. This Hercules guy must be something impressive.

Kugelmugel shook his fellow artist by the shoulder.

"Hercules! Wake up! Wake up!"

Hercules's eyes opened blearily, and he blinked twice before sitting up and yawning.  
"Oh...must have dozed off...hey Kaiser." He nodded to the silver haired boy in greeting before he placed a bookmark into his book and closed it.

He looked around at the now shadowy library. It was lit only by the light of the moon coming through the cliffside windows.

"It's nighttime already?" He asked.

"Hercules! I'm so glad you're here!" Wisteria exclaimed, looking relieved to see Hercules come to his feet.

Now that he was standing, Bella could see Yao's point about Hercules's strength. The young man had powerful, muscled arms and the way he held himself gave off an aura of confidence, despite the apparent fact that he fell asleep a lot.

The brown haired greek looked down at Wisteria

"Something is wrong." He stated firmly.

Wisteria nodded.

"Yes! Yes something is wrong! Morgan is back! He's taken over the school and forced us into lockdown! Yao came back to help us, see!"  
Wisteria pointed over at Yao.

Yao waved Hercules over.

"Yao, what is this situation?" Hercules's usually drowsy green eyes sharpened with awareness.

"We've got hostiles spread throughout the academy. Most of the students and staff are hiding in the air ducts. Then there's us, aru. Also, Bella, Hercules, Hercules, Bella." Yao gestured the introduction back and forth as he handed Larry over to Hercules.

The dull orange cat settled comfortably on the greeks shoulders.

Hercules strode over to Tino and looked at the screen.

"Why are you trying to hack the alarm system? I thought you said this was a lockdown?"

Hercules looked over to Wisteria.

Wisteria jogged over to see the screen herself.

"It is a lockdown! What are you doing, Tino?"

Tino was still tapping away at the keyboard, rows and rows of code and symbols were streaming across the computer screen.

"If I can just find the right program. I should be able to trigger the schools sprinkler system."

"Why!?" Everyone in the room demanded.

Tino bit his tongue in concentration.

"The sprinklers are for confusion, mostly. Morgan's men will think theres a fire and hopefully at least some of them will panic. Thats where we make our move. Someone is in our control hub, while the library stores most of our information, the main computer lab is where you can basically control the entire school. I'll bet anything that that's where Morgan is right now. I'll trigger everything, alarms, sirens, sprinklers, flashing lights, make it as completely chaotic as possible. Then China and Greece go for Morgan. Bella, Wy, and Kugelmugel will head to the mess hall where everyone first entered the air ducts, tell the students and teachers that Finland said it was time for a counterattack. If Yao and Greece can defeat Morgan, then we'll just have to drive out Morgan's men, and we'll be the victors by the end of the night."

The others nodded along with the finnish boys plan before Finland then took on a sheepish expression.  
"Oh, sorry, didn't meant to get all bossy! That was way to assertive...does anyone else have any ideas?"

"No, Finland. That is the perfect plan, aru. Come on, Greece!"

Yao turned and ran to the library door, followed by Hercules.

"You two will have to lead the way." Bella reminded as she trailed just behind Wisteria and Kaiser.

"We can do that!" Wisteria promised as Yao triggered the library door to open again and they all moved out into the open hallway.

"Be careful, aru." Yao ordered, turning to the other team.

"No worries, we've survived worse!" Wisteria said with a chipper smile.

"Wait, you have?" Bella asked, looking shocked.

"Try not to wreck everything, Wy..." Hercules teased in his own laid back voice.

"Hey! It was Seborga that shot all of those light switches, not me! Not to mention it was Sealand that nearly crashed his drones into a chandelier!" Wisteria rebutted before alarms suddenly began wailing all throughout the school.

Yao clapped his hands over his ears, the sound was deafening, Tino had cranked the usual volume up by ten.

"Move!" Greece shouted, turned and running down the opposite hallway with Yao by his side as the Micro Nations led Bella towards the mess hall.

Soon enough the sprinklers were going off, spraying water across the hallways, and red lights were flashing, making the world move seemingly frame by frame.

"Tino sure knows how to make a mess!" Yao shouted to Hercules.

"Of course he does! If you looked up the word 'chaotic' in a dictionary there would probably be a picture of him next to it!" Hercules replied.

After several minutes of running, all the while trying not to slip on the slick, water covered floors, they came up to the door of the main computer labs.

Yao swallowed hard and nodded to Hercules, who was already prepared for battle.

The chinese man kicked the door in.

There he was, he had a scar on his jaw from where Finland's boot had connected solidly, and he looked up a ferocious, icy cold glare.

"What is this madness?" Morgan demanded, voice stricken with fury.

"It's Hetalia Academy making a comeback." Yao hissed before charging the man.

"Greece take the back!" Yao shouted and Hercules darted around the desks and computers, leaping up onto one desk and launching a kick at Morgan, who blocked it and swung a punch at Greece.

Hercules jumped to dodge and landed on his feet on the wood floors of the computer labs. He threw another punch that was also blocked as Yao struggled to get pass the defense Morgan was managing with his other arm. Morgan was wearing his usual dark blue pinstriped light blue suit, and his face had gone from that twisted snarl back to his usual confident cool. That worried Yao to no end as their enemy moved with grace and poise that defied his demeanor, blocking and dishing out blows with ease.

Fierce melee ensued, both parties straining to claim victory to the backdrop of sirens and flashing lights.

 ** _In the hallways on the way to the Mess Hall._**

Bella looked around, eyes darting from sight to sight, head swiveling in different directions as she ran. She would be lying to say that she wasn't curious about the place she'd found herself in. This school was where Yao learned to be such an amazing operative. According to him these little kids were just as good at hand to hand combat as any other member of the OEE. Every student smiling from pictures hanging from the walls had the ability to fight and hack and infiltrate.

Bella had to admit that she just couldn't believe this was _really_ an academy for super spies. That something like this could even truly exist. It was incredible, the place was sleek with design but it held an age old charm. The OEE had always been a place of work, it was a place of business, plain and simple, and there was no fun or camaraderie to be had.

But when Bella saw these hallways, she knew they were meant to be ran down, when she saw those windows, she knew they were meant to be shouted from, when she saw these tables, she knew they were meant to be eaten at, when she hurried down these stairwells, she knew that they were meant to be thundered down, when she saw those chairs, she knew they were meant to be collapsed into after a long days hard work.

This Academy was alive. It was like it breathed and moved and laughed and cried with every single student.

The belgian girl would not lie, she was jealous that Yao was able to call a place this beautiful home.

* * *

 _ **Amethyst: This isn't madness, Morgan! THIS IS SPARTA! *Runs away screaming***_

 _ **Hercules: Not that again...all because I was in the room...**_

 ** _Wisteria: What is she doing?_**

 ** _Hercules: Humiliating me._**

 ** _Amethyst: SPARTA! *Kicks Hercules*_**

 ** _Hercules: WHY!? *Goes flying into mass of people in the sign off room.*_**

 ** _Amethyst: I loved that movie..._**

 ** _Wisteria: ...?_**

 ** _Li: Like, what took you so long? We've been waiting around for days..._**

 ** _Amethyst: Well excuse me for having a life!_**

 ** _Li: What life, binge reading the entire Shingeki No Kyojin manga in, like, two days?_**

 ** _Amethyst: CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT THE WALLS ARE ACTUALLY..._**

 ** _Li: SHUT UP I'M AN ANIME WATCHER! *Tackles author*_**

 ** _Wisteria: Spoiler alert! We'll be back in the next chapter with just about everyone in the school! Please favorite follow and review! Thanks for reading!_**


	13. Headmaster

**_Please enjoy the next chapter!_**

* * *

 ** _In the Mess Hall._**

Kaiser jumped up onto one of the high chairs, and quickly up onto the accompanying table without any hesitation.

He reached up to the air vent on the wall and yanked it out, sure enough, it was still open.

"Hello! It's Kugelmugel! Can anyone hear me?" He called into the dark, metallic tunnel.

"Kugelmugel?"

Professor Ancient Greece's head appeared from the bend of the vent.

"Finland said it's time to fight back! Now!"

Kaiser was soaking wet from the sprinklers that were still raining water down, his braids hung limp, with none of their usual spring, and his violet eyes were hardened with determination.

"Oh? Well in that case, I suppose the time for hiding is over."

The older of the two greeks within the academy looked relieved that they were finally going to attempt a fight. She turned her head to the side and shouted.

"Alright! EVERYONE OUT!"

Before crawling up the tunnel and jumping out.

Kugelmugel hopped down off the table to give everyone room.

Bella watched with amazement. She'd been expecting maybe three or four people to emerge. But after the Allies, then the remaining four Nordics, then the majority of the East Germans, then the Baltic trio with Poland, they just kept on coming.

Valentin slipped out and helped his younger brother get down from the tunnel safely, and then four _oddly_ young operatives in red and black tumbled out.

"Guys!" Wisteria leapt forward and wrapped her arms around Hutt River.

"You're alright! We were worried!" Kugelmugel cried, pouncing on an irritated Ladonia.

East Asia made their appearance, followed by the Axis, and Bella recognized them instantly.

 _Those are Yao's siblings...I wonder if they remember me..._

"Wait...aren't you Gege's partner from the OEE? What are you doing here?"

The lone female of the asians demanded.

Bella looked awkwardly to the side.

"I stowed away in Yao's van."

"Gege is here?" Li asked, looking dumbstruck at the thought.

"Yeah, he's on his way to confront Morgan." Bella admitted.

"Alone!? Is he insane!?" The twin with the braid of hair, Hyung Soo, shouted.

"No, no!" Bella was quick to reassure.

"Another operative they called Greece went with him."

All of the Wang family looked relieved.

"Good...at least he has someone with him." The girl sighed.

"Well, for now, call me Taiwan, him Hong Kong, them North and South Korea, and him Japan. Lets move, people!"

Bella noticed that at least twenty more people had emerged from the vent opening and they were still coming, one after another.

Michelle came tumbling to the ground when she was shoved out.

"OY! Watch it!"

"Sorry, you were in the awesome me's way to freedom! Kesesesesese!"

"Shut up, Prussia! Headmaster, he nearly made me land on my head!"

"Did not, frau!"

Bella's ears pricked.

 _Headmaster?_

The man that Yao had shown undying respect towards? The man who had taught one of the most amazing operatives she'd ever met everything? The man who had built this school she was so envious of?

The man everyone here loved and would follow to the end of the earth?

Spinning around on her heel, Bella glued her eyes to the vent as the white haired german dropped down and helped a still fuming islander to her feet.

"Excuse me, you two. You're blocking the way."

"Sorry Headmaster!" Prussia and Seychelles were quick to dart away from the vent exit so to give their teacher room to escape.

Then out dropped a man with dark auburn hair that had several very short, wayward curls sticking out of all sides. He was wearing a red pinstriped black suit with a black undershirt and red tie. The instant his feet hit the ground he clapped his hands only once.

Everyone in the room stopped talking and turned toward him.

Bella felt awestruck.

While the Headmaster did look rather an unassuming man, maybe five foot eleven, a little over average height, not overly muscular or incredibly intelligent looking. But the presence he commanded was astonishing. All it took was a clearing of the throat from him and he could silence a room of young men and women whom he'd mentored and inspired.

"Everyone, listen up!" He called, though Bella guessed it was more out of habit then actually necessity, considering that the entire room was dead silent by the time the words had left his mouth.

"As you all know, our former operative China has returned, and it is thanks to him that were are now able to stand here, now able to fight back against Morgan!"

The Headmaster crossed his arms.

"I know and trust in each and every one of you, I believe in you and your love for this school, I know that you care as much for this place and for each other as I do. Now, every student is a teammate, every fighter is a friend, every single time a hand is extended, help them along! And know that if you extend your own hand that tens of others were offer to carry you! Do not leave anyone behind! This is a dangerous battle we are going into and we will fight accordingly! Everyone stick together! We will move in one massive wave, no splitting up! All of you are suited up and ready for the fight! Lets show Morgan what a big mistake it was to mess with us! Hetalia!"

"HETALIA!" The room roared, fists pumping, feet pounding the black wood floors.

The noise fell into Bella ears like a raging typhoon, drowning out all of her other thoughts.

She was the only one not cheering, not stomping or screaming.

Now, as she was standing here, she realized she was nothing more then an alien in this world of red black.

 ** _The Computer Lab._**

Yao saw stars as he was hurled the length of the room, crashing into desks and knocking over equipment.

"China!" He heard Greece shout before, as Yao lifted his head again, the artist charged at Morgan anew and tackled him.

Yao forced himself up again and ran to aid Hercules as the cat lover rolled across the floor, struggling to deliver anything close to a knock out blow.

Yao hurled himself into the fray again, seizing the back of Morgan's jacket and attempting to drag him off of Hercules so the other student could gain the distance he needed to attack effectively.

Morgan did the job himself, kicking Greece off and then spinning onto his knees, Yao was unable to release him quickly enough and was whirled around and thudded to the ground hard, landing flat on his back.

Morgan delved his hand into his jacket and China's eyes widened.

"Greece, _run!_ " He screamed as he scrambled to his feet and shot for the door, Hercules unquestioningly right behind him.

Once they were outside in the hallway, Hercules cried.

"Why!? We had him!"

A gunshot rang out and Hercules yelped, leaping backwards when hot lead struck the ground inches from his feet.

"Thats why! We need to get some distance!" Yao exclaimed, and just like that the two of them sprinting away down the hall.

"We've got the upper hand, we know this school like the back of our hands, Morgan doesn't, aru. Quick! Think of something!" Yao ordered as they fled, footsteps echoing through the empty halls.

"You're asking me!?" Hercules shot back.

"Yes!" Yao cried.

Hercules scowled for a moment, before another shot burst through their conversation.

The bullet whizzed in between the two of them, Morgan having fired in the instant they turned the corner.

Yao snapped his fingers.

"I've got it, aru! This way!" He ran towards the stairwell.

"We're going down?" Greece demanded as Yao ripped open the door and they leapt full flights of stairs on their way downward at a breakneck pace.

"Yes, now this way, fast!"

They could hear the clattering of Morgan's running down the stairs, this only caused them to quicken their pace.

Yao swallowed hard as they came up on the door he'd been searching for. He shoved it open and they hurtled into the new space as he prayed.

 _Please let this work!_

 ** _With the Academy._**

Bella's mouth fell open at the way the members of the academy moved.

 _They're like a single, cohesive unit. They trust each other completely. The way they move, it's like they know watch each other are thinking._

They'd already dispatched four of Morgan's units, and the way things were going, with the chaos of the sprinklers still spraying water everywhere, the lights flashing, and the sudden blackouts of any light whatsoever, they would be making it through this without a single serious injury.

Bella hadn't dealt a blow since they'd confronted the squad outside of the workshop. The members of the academy were handling everything perfectly fine. Like they'd been trained exactly for this situation.

Once she thought this, Bella had to remind herself, they actually _had_ been trained for this.

"Micro nations!" The girl with the brown pigtails, sundress, and the wide, expressive eyes shouted.

"On it!" The tallest of the micro nations, with auburn hair, shot forward and kicked the first of this latest squad of enemies in the stomach as dirty blonde boy seized another man by the arm and judo flipped him over his shoulder and slammed him to the ground.

Kaiser and Wisteria tag teamed to defeat another of the men and the final attack fell to a boy with violent orange hair, who leapt at him and swept his feet out from under him. Dodging a punch, he accidentally tripped backwards, and he shouted out.

"Sealand!"

That was when a boy with a sailors uniform on shoulder tackled the man in the chest, knocking the wind out of him as the orange haired boy recovered and roundhouse kicked the man across the face, knocking him out.

"Nice job, kids!" Rome stepped forward and clapped Sealand on the hair, ruffled the head of violent orange hair possessed by the other boy.

"It's what you taught us!" Kaiser chirped.

"We can fight on our own now, just like you said!" The dirty blonde boy cried, grinning. He had a bandage on one cheek and his uniform had tassels all over it.

Bella looked over each of them in awe.

 _They're...they're kids...they shouldn't be able to fight like that but...but I just saw it with my own eyes. This...this really is a school for super spies. Fighters. Hackers. It's...it's incredible. It's beyond anything I could have ever dreamt of. I wish...I wish I could work up the courage to go speak with him._

She looked into the those golden eyes flecked with amber, that belonged to the one and only Romulus Empire. What could she possibly have to offer in order to gain the recognition of such a man as that?

"Pardon me." Bella jumped and whirled to be faced by a woman with shapely eyebrows, glittering green eyes, and a cold expression. She wore large gold hoop earring. She wore a black jacket with a red tank top underneath, a black skirt like piece wrapped around her waist, slitted over one hip. The thick belt that held up the skit piece held an array of knives and blast weapons. She wore tight red pants with knee hight black boots. Her sleek black hair was braided into dozens of small dreadlocks.

She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at Bella.

Bella couldn't help but admit just how gorgeous this woman was.

"I am Professor Ancient Egypt. May I inquire as to exactly why you are here?" She asked.

Bella swallowed at the woman's clipped way of speaking.

"Erm...Yao...he brought me along from the OEE. Or rather, I stowed away in his van and he was forced to bring me."

The woman jutted her chin in a movement of acknowledgment at the statement.

"Understood. I appreciate you're willingness to aid us in such a dark time."

Bella waved her hands, flustered.

"Not at all! I'm happy to help."

"Of course, you do understand our security concerns."

Bella felt the strange urge to salute.

"Of course, ma'am! I would never tell a soul."

Egypt scoffed and placed a hand on her hip, running over her bottom lip with one thumb.

"Perhaps I didn't make it clear. Our security concerns detail that if anyone of age enters the academy they should..."

Before she had the chance to finish, a scream echoed from up front followed by a large wave across the groups spanned across the halls.

Everyone in the groups darted, ducked, and weaved as bullets rained through the hallways.

Bella was so focused on the gunmen who'd suddenly leapt around the corner that she realized where he was aiming next.

Silver braids whipped as the youngest member of the academy whirled on his heel to dodge a shot, not realizing another barrel was aimed directly for him.

"MOVE!" Bella hurled herself across the hallway and seized Kaiser by the arm, throwing her entire weight backwards, she pulled the boy as hard as possible into her arms.

Kaiser let out a shriek as he was pulled into Bella's chest, Bella curled around and into herself while she reached down into her bosom and drew out the cylinder that Yao had given her.

She pulled the pin with her teeth, turned and, with Kaiser still swinging under one arm, threw the cylinder with all of her might.

The silver canister struck the floor at the leading gunman's feet and erupted into a powerful explosion.

Everyone bent and shielded their heads with their arms, some draping themselves over others to protect them.

The ceiling panels fell out and crashed to the ground and the sprinkles stopped going off from the force, the lights dimmed in an energy surge and darkness reigned.

Gasping in the dark, with one arm over Michelle and the other over Lukas, who'd been dangerously close to the blast zone, Rome shouted out.

"Is everyone ok!?"

Lukas groaned and propped himself up on one elbow, reached up to straighten his hat with one hand, back pressing into Rome's chest since the his superior was still crouched over the two of them.

"I'm fine, Headmaster...thanks."

"I'm alright as well!" Michelle chirped.

The lights ebbed back and Rome looked around, doing a headcount.

"Over here! Bella's hurt!" Kaiser cried out.

Kaiser was pinned beneath Bella's immobile form, a large amount of the massive, heavy ceiling panel that had shattered when it struck Bella over the head was scattered around them.

Bella, who'd curled around the small, eleven year old Kaiser, braced her back and shoulders to the ceiling, held the boy beneath her, and taken the hit.

* * *

 ** _Amethyst: That didn't take as long as last time, I'm working on it!_**

 ** _Mathias: About time!_**

 ** _Amethyst: To be totally honestly I've been working on stuff for other fandoms a bit._**

 ** _Lukas: Such as?_**

 ** _Amethyst: Eh...Inuyasha, Yowamushi Pedal, Haikyuu. My OTP is from Haikyuu and they do not get enough love._**

 ** _Tino: Thats sad! So, when will we be seeing another chapter? I hope soon!_**

 ** _Amethyst: I'm on it! It'll be up as soon as possible!  
_**

 ** _Tino: Great! As far as I know, I'm in the library by myself in a building filled with Morgans men so I'm a little concerned._**

 ** _Amethyst: Hang in there, Tino!_**

 ** _Emil: So are we gonna get to get out of here anytime soon?  
_**

 ** _Amethyst: Probably not. July 4th is coming up and I'm gonna be swamped with celebrations and family reunions and what not._**

 ** _Tino: That sounds like so much fun! We should have a celebration!_**

 ** _Mathias: For every nation represented here? Do you have any idea how much celebrating that would be?_**

 ** _Tino: As long as we have saunas, sweets and alcohol!_**

 ** _Amethyst: Tino?_**

 ** _Tino: Yes?_**

 ** _Amethyst: Aren't you like seventeen?  
_**

 ** _Tino: Yes, why?  
_**

 ** _Amethyst: You live in America. You're underaged._**

 ** _Tino: ...oh. FAVORITE FOLLOW AND REVIEW BYE! Sve, can I come with you to visit your house?_**

 ** _Sweden: Sure._**

 ** _Amethyst: Don't take him!_**


	14. Victory

**_Please enjoy the next chapter!_**

* * *

Yao dragged Hercules behind one of the mission vans. They'd run into the underground garage. Morgan was chasing them, but had lost sight of them within the massive amounts of vehicles, not to mention that the garage was engulfed in near pitch black darkness .

"Where are you hiding?" Came his voice, loud and demanding.

"Come out. No point in hiding away. I'll find you eventually. I have this entire school under my thumb."

Yao gritted his teeth.

"So thats what you think." He murmured.

Hercules, meanwhile, glared down at Yao with his violently bright emerald eyes.

"Still waiting on an explanation!" He whisper screamed.

Yao nodded, then leaned close and whispered his instructions into the greeks ear.

The twenty year old brunette's eyes widened.

"That will _never_ work." He insisted.

Yao swallowed hard. "Well, it's the only idea I've got, aru."

Hercules nodded slowly.

"Alright...alright alright alright..." He repeated this several times before rubbing at his forehead with one hand.

"Lets do it."

Yao's golden eyes lit afire with determination.

"We can't fail. All of the academy is at stake now."

 ** _In the infirmary._**

"God dammit! Why do we have to do this?"

The massive group of students had, after recovering from the explosion, continued through the halls, dispatching squads upon squads of soldiers as they came across them. No one else had been heavily injured.

Not since Bella.

The girl had protected their youngest, most vulnerable operative with her own body, though she had no reason to even risk herself in the first place. When they had moved by the infirmary a duo of students had been dropped to take care of the belgian and protect her as she had Kaiser.

The same infirmary that had seen such unfolding drama as becoming Tino's recovery room, patching up Ivan's bullet wound, checking over orchestra members still dressed in their finery, transforming into Valentin's holding cell, and playing a roll as Lukas's lifeline. It was now serving as a stronghold for the girl to regain consciousness within.

The academies resident spaniard laid a cold cloth against Bella's forehead.

"This should assist in waking her up sooner." He murmured.

Him and his italian boyfriend and teammate had been charged with watching the girl in the midst of this chaos.

Lovino was less then happy about it, as he'd been ranting nonstop for the past five minutes.

"I swear, it's nice of the a-bella to a-want to help, but she could have died! What an idiota!" He cried, tossing his arms into the air.

Toni shook his head.

"Lovi, I think she knew that."

Lovino rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and turning his back on his lover.

"So? That only a-makes her more stupid in my book. Why a-risk your life for a kid you've a-barely just met?" He demanded, voice sharp and harsh.

Antonio was used to the southern italians behavior, and knew that he was posing the question as merely that, a question. He wasn't purposely attempting to insult or ridicule Bella in any way.

Even though most people would have interpreted it that way.

Antonio smiled softly as he looked down on the serene face of the woman who had stowed away and come hours just to help.

"Could you honestly say that if you saw Kaiser in danger, you wouldn't have moved to help?"

Lovino rolled his eyes.

"Course I a-would had, tomato bastard. But I know the brat. I've been dealing a-with him for months in art class."

Antonio easily translated this to mean that Lovino would have reacted to protect Kaiser, because he cared about the boy and had come to know him.

"I think that this chica is just a good person Lovi. All she ever wants to do is help others."  
Lovino snorted as he walked back over to her bedside, casting a soft smile down to the blissfully unaware woman.

"I just a-hope next time, she tries to help herself a-first."

 ** _In the Garage._**

Yao let out a startled gasp as he flung himself backwards, a bullet ricocheting off the bumper of the van he was hiding behind.

Hercules had snuck around the back of the van and was currently creeping slowly towards the panel that contained the buttons that would open the massive garage doors.

The issue was, the doors caused all the lights within the garage to activate, once the doors began to open, they had to move fast.

Yao dove underneath another car, holding his breath.

If Morgan spotted either one of them when the lights came on, it was all over.

Quite literally.

Yao dodged across the garage under the cover of the darkness that still reigned supreme over the indoor garage.

He slid behind another van just as the garage door began to open, the gears turning and groaning as they rolled the doors up, allowing the moonlight of the early night to penetrate the garage.

It didn't hold a candle to the bright strip lights that illuminated the entire area.

Yao gritted his teeth as Morgan whirled on the panel where the buttons to open the doors were located.

He was just a split second to slow, and Hercules dove into cover behind the Axis's sports car.

Yao clutched at his heart and breathed a sigh of relief that his friend had avoided danger.

Yao rolled over onto his stomach and began sniper crawling his way beneath cars, heading for the now open doors. Across the lane, Greece did the same.

Morgan growled his frustration as he stalked up the rows of cars, a click echoing out as he reloaded his gun.

"Run away all you want. I'll still find you. You would never run and leave your _precious_ school behind." The horrendous man taunted.

Yao broke out from under the last car and sprinted out into the night, darting around the corner of the garage, Hercules followed him.

Not long afterwards, Morgan gave chase as well.

"Still have a brilliant plan?" Hercules hissed.

"Actually, I do. Lead him around to the back of the school. Hurry!"

They raced off across the grass, occasionally jumping bushes or side stepping trees as they moved.

The crashing ocean waves met their ears as they stared off over the massive cliff that the academy building backed up onto.

"No way he's stupid enough to run off the edge of a cliff!"

Hercules grumbled.

"True, but maybe we can make him, aru." Yao replied as they both leaned back against the wall, listening to Morgan's footsteps as he ran around the corner.

He came around the corner, gun raised, and Hercules's hand shot out, making to swat the gun from his grasp, but at the last second Morgan's opposite hand moved out, seized Greece's wrist, and pulled hard.

Arm snaking around the massive greek's neck, Morgan pressed his gun to the twenty year olds head.

"So wheres your friend?" He demanded, loud enough for Yao to hear.

Yao who was crouched behind one of the low shrubs, horrified.

They'd failed right from the start.

"Come out in the next ten seconds or I'll do something that I'm sure _you'll_ regret." The man warned.

Hercules gripped at the arm around his neck, trying desperately to think of a way out of the chokehold without receiving hot lead to the brain.

"Nine. Eight. Seven." Morgan counted off, watery blue eyes swiveling all around, searching for where Yao would come out of.

The chinese man searched his sleeves, struggling to remain calm.

He knew Morgan wasn't bluffing.

"Six. Five. Four." The man continued.

Hercules's emerald eyes widened when Yao still didn't make an appearance.

Morgan fingered the trigger.

"Three. Two."

His grasp tightened.

"Alright! Alright!" Yao called out, standing up from his hiding place, hands hidden beneath overlong sleeves as he raised them into the air.

"I was afraid I was going to have to shed some young blood. Thats not my goal. Not yet." Morgan narrowed his eyes as Yao walked forward.

Those golden eyes were livid, Morgan could see all sorts of plans working out behind them.

Every single one led to either Hercules, Yao himself, or both of them biting a bullet.

"Lets go."

Not releasing his grip on Hercules, knowing well the young man was more then muscled enough to wrestle the gun from his grasp should he get even the smallest opportunity.

Yao was forced to walk in front of them, and they made their slow way back to the garage, Yao was moving as slowly as possible.

Morgan concluded that he was shell shocked. Any plans he had had were stumped, he couldn't make any moves. One of the best at thinking on his feet in the entire elite academy body, and he was completely at a loss.

Morgan couldn't stop the way his eyes grew with bloodlust at the thought of finally taking his long sought after revenge. So many plans of his foiled. So many attacks driven back. So many damages to his buildings. Deaths in his armies. Injuries to his own person. All because of a bunch of _bratty_ , _good for nothing, vigilante, teenagers._

Granted, a few of them were twenty or so, but that was beside the point.

The unwilling group moved back up the rows of cars, Yao still glancing from side to side, searching for possible escape routes.

There were none. Rooke Morgan was covering every possible escape he could have pulled.

No explosives, no sirens, no water sprinklers, no out of control van drivers, no friends that were in a position to help, no sudden black outs, no grappling hooks, no _god damn_ orchestra instruments to throw.

Nothing.

He'd finally won.

Carthage had won.

* * *

 ** _Amethyst: I am so sorry it took so long! I've been dealing with this thing that likes to get in my way, it's called life, I'm sure you've heard of it. Anyway, that was super annoying, but now I'm here!_**

 ** _Rome: WHAT!?_**

 ** _Amethyst: What? Are you angry that I'm back? That stings, man._**

 ** _Rome: No no no! WHAT JUST HAPPENED!? Hercules and Yao got captured?  
_**

 ** _Amethyst: Yup._** ** _  
_**

 ** _Rome: But they are two of our best! Carthage was alone!  
_**

 ** _Amethyst: Yup._**

 ** _Rome: So now what!? Are they just going to be used as hostages?  
_**

 ** _Amethyst: Yup._**

 ** _Rome: WHAT!?  
_**

 ** _Amethyst: And thats time! Everyone, please forgive me for being gone so long! This story will be finished no matter what, I swear it! So please favorite, follow and review! And I will be working on the next chapter! Love you all!  
_**

 ** _Rome: Wait, no. You are not signing off on a cliffhanger like this!  
_**

 ** _Amethyst: Sure I am. Bye!_**


	15. How the Mighty Fall

**_Please enjoy the next chapter!_**

* * *

Morgan's grasp around Hercules had never loosened, and this placed the chinese man in front of them in a precocious situation. The greeks heart was pounding faster then he could ever remember, it was bordering on painful, and Yao was feeling much the same way.

Morgan forced them forward, making their way up the staircase towards the entrance to the hallways.

Towards Rome.

Yao began grinding at his teeth as he looked from side to side.

These stairs were likely the narrowest set in the entire building. Yao could easily touch both of the side railings attached to the walls with arms not even a foot from his sides. Yao, knowing Hercules, was able to sense that the emerald eyed man was well prepared to react in any way necessary in order to get out of this situation.

Yao prayed Hercules would be swift as his sleepy reputation led everything to think he couldn't be. The brunette was far faster on his feet and quick thinking then anyone dared to assume from how often he was caught falling asleep on desks and in dinner plates.

Golden eyes glided up to see the doorway leading out into the hallways of the school.

Act now, or act never.

Yao drew in a large breath, held it for two seconds, and jumped.

He grasped performed a full backwards flip over Morgan, catching himself with his hands on the railings, he drew one of the throwing knives always hidden up his sleeves.

At the moment Hercules saw Yao's knees bend in preparation to jump, he reached up and seized the wrist of the hand with which Rooke was holding the gun to his head.

Hercules twisted it with all the strength possessed in his arm and Morgan screamed in pain as his wrist snapped from the pressure.

A deafening bang echoed in the hallway as Morgan attempted to shoot, only to fire a round into the ceiling above him.

He'd fallen to deep into his schemes and daydreams of his final victory, and had made the most rookie mistake.

He'd let his guard down.

Because, who other then a Hetalia Academy student would think to break the wrist of the man who was holding the gun to his head before he could shoot you?

Yao forced Morgan's head back, knife to his throat, while at the same time Hercules tore the gun from Morgan's now mostly limp fingers and jumped up a few of the stairs, aiming the pistol at Morgan.

"And just like that." Yao gasped out, breathing heavily.

Hercules had a reckless, and breathless, grin on his face.

"We win."

 ** _In the Infirmary._**

"Ugh..."

Antonio jumped up from his chair and raced over to where Bella lay in the bed, eyes fluttering open as Lovino came to loom over her as well.

The girl looked up at the both of them, blinking in an attempt to clear the bleariness from her eyes.

"What happened?"

"You got a-knocked out by falling ceiling panels, idiota." Lovino grumbled.

Bella shot up in the bed, knocking the italian backwards.

"What!? What about Kugelmugel? The little boy with the long hair!?"

"Shh, shh, chica, he is fine. Just fine." Antonio promised, laying his hands on Bella's shoulders.

Bella sighed, obviously relieved.

"Good...I tried to protect him but..."

"You succeeded, too, nearly at the a-price of a snapped a-neck, you damned moron."

Bella looked up at him hurtfully.

Antonio raised a pointed eyebrow at his boyfriend, who shrugged in an attempt to look uncaring. The guilt on his face was clear though.

"Romano just isn't very good at saying thank you. Kugelmugel is actually a dear friend of his."  
"Just because we a-share a damned art class doesn't a-mean that me and the adorable little bastard are friends."

Antonio just chuckled.

"Ignore him." He told Bella.

The girl looked up at the dark skinned spaniard in concern.

"So...everything is alright?"

The sound of distant combat reached their ears. It had, in fact, been there the whole time, but only now in the pause of silence had it been noticed.

"Well...I wouldn't say 'alright' just yet." Antonio admitted.

To this, Lovi simply groaned.

 ** _With the rest of the academy._**

"Headmaster, where are we going, exactly?"

Rome glanced back to Vash as he dusted his knuckles free of a few flecks of blood.

"We're moving towards the library. Finland is there alone, and we all know he can't defend himself as well as the rest of us. Especially not in a three on one fight against armed men. Ah! Shoshone!" Rome's attention had been drawn elsewhere.

Vash nodded his agreement, watching his superior walking away towards Professor Native America flagging her down to talk to her about the students morale so far. They were so close to victory. His rifle had remained on his back the entire battle, for there was no use for it in these close quarters.

With all honesty, he'd been more dependent on Roderich, Elizabeta, and Gilbert to protect himself and his sister, seeing as neither of them were all to great in the hand-to-hand combat department either. Good enough to defeat a few men here and there, not good enough to overwhelm the enemy as the other three members of their team did.

Even when Roderich looked ready to pass out from overexertion after about fifteen minutes of nonstop marching and battling.

Speaking of Roderich, Vash glanced back to see him and Lilli in a tense conversation.

The sniper made his way over to his sister and fellow East German with a raised eyebrow.

"What are you two talking about?" He asked.

Roderich looked over to him, eyes fraught with concern.

"It seems that China and Greece are still off in a two on one battle against Morgan. No one has seen them."

Vash made a 'tch' noise with his tongue.

"Those two are what you are so worried about? They'll be fine. Watch them come sauntering back in here all excited to tell us all exactly how they kicked Morgan's butt."

Lilli giggled softly.

"You're always so confident in everyone here, Big Brother."

Vash shrugged, arms crossed.  
"What can I say? When you live with this many reckless, overbearing, idiots, it's pretty easy to put your faith in them."

Lilli nodded, fisting her hands with a beaming smile.

"You're right! We'll fight our hardest here so they can fight their hardest there!"

Vash patted Lilli on the shoulder.

"Thats the spirit."

Roderich snickered.

Vash rounded on him.  
"What was that?" He dared.

Roderich waved a hand.  
"Nothing, I just think it's funny how you, the pessimistic, expect the worst, never count on anyone but yourself, Switzerland, just gave us a lesson in having faith in our schoolmates."

Vash scowled at him.  
"Shut up!"

 ** _In the stairway to the garage._**

Morgan had frozen in absolute shock.

But moments ago, he'd had two of the academy's strongest at his mercy.

Only a heartbeat or two had thrummed through his body, and now here he was being covered by both a gun and a knife.

How quickly the tables could turn.

Yao was worried by how Morgan remained silent, seeing as that was much the same way he'd reacted to his capture before swiftly turing the tide in his favor.

Hercules kicked off of the wall of the stairwell, easily leaping over both Yao and Morgan and landing behind Yao, perfectly sticking it with both feet on a single stair.

"Well...that worked." Hercules whispered into Yao's ear as they forced their archenemy up the stairs.

Once they entered the hallway, Yao forced Morgan along the route he knew the academy group had already covered.

His lack of resistance was really eating at Yao's nerves.

Finally, they rounded a corner, and a mass of red and black uniforms came into view.

Yao felt it was a sight he'd never lose.

The single man in the still pristine red pinstriped suit was at the rear, in heated discussion with another, no one looking in the way of the two soon to be hero's of the school.

Then, out of nowhere, Yao suddenly felt white hot searing pain erupt through his abdomen.

He managed to process that he'd been stabbed, also managed to process the fact that he been so blindsided he hadn't even screamed, just as Morgan broke away from him and charged at Romulus.

Romulus, who still hadn't turned around.

Hercules raised the pistol and pulled the trigger without hesitation.

An empty click.

"No bullets!" Hercules cursed.

This shout caught Rome's attention, and he spun, amber-gold eyes flying open wide at the sight of Morgan only a few strides away from him.

Rome moved to defend himself, panic setting in as he was fractions to slow.

The pocket knife was aimed to slash his arm before it slit his throat.

Morgan screamed.

The knife plunged forward.

And for that one moment, the world fell silent, and time was still.

As the great Romulus Empire collapsed to the floor.

* * *

 ** _Alfred: WHAT!?_**

 ** _Amethyst: Don't start that again please._**

 ** _Mathias: But...but...but...Headmaster!_**

 ** _Amethyst: Yeah._**

 ** _Professor Native America: What have you done to Romulus!?  
_**

 ** _Amethyst: Oh, hey, Shoshone! You haven't been in a sign off yet!_**

 ** _Professor Native America: True, but what have you done? Without Romulus we will all fall!  
_**

 ** _Amethyst: Uh-huh._**

 ** _Alfred: How can you be so nonchalant about this!? YOU KILLED OUT HEADMASTER!_**

 ** _Amethyst: Sure did.  
_**

 ** _Lovino: GIVE US A STRAIGHT UP ANSWER DAMMIT!_**

 ** _Amethyst: Nah. I feel like being evil today._**

 ** _Mathias: How is that different from any other day you feel like writing about us?_**

 ** _Amethyst: Huh. You got me there. Anyway! We're done here for now! I've got my writing mojo back! Someone sign off!_**

 ** _Professor Native America: I know none of you really know me, but I do hope you will continue to enjoy reading! Please favorite, follow, and review! Thank you!_**


	16. Family

**_Please enjoy the next chapter!_**

* * *

Once they entered the hallway, Yao forced Morgan along the route he knew the academy group had already covered.

His lack of resistance was really eating at Yao's nerves as they passed by the library doors, he noted they were ajar, and instantly prayed for Finland's safety. Hoping the academy had gotten to him first.

Finally, they rounded a corner, and a mass of people came into view.

Boots of black clomped on the floor, no need to be silent at the moment. Dresses of bright red contrasted starkly with those donning overcoats of black. Hats and hair of all styles and colors. The only thing that never changes, what that no one there wore anything but red and black. The emblem of the circle and the wings appeared on every lapel, on the backs of jackets, in a pattern across leggings, black pins attached to hats, or stitched proudly upon every blazer, it didn't matter, it was everywhere.

The love for the academy was everywhere as faces filled Yao's view. The East Germans were arguing as they mingled with the Baltic's plus Poland group. Belarus was with the other girls of the academy, minus Lilli, who was with her brother as always. Seychelles and her sister Ukraine were by the blonde, bow wearing girl, all three were in hushed conversation as they walked. The Nordic's were off on their own, all five accounted for, Yao breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of the violet eyed techie surrounded by his teammates. The Micro Nations were in an animated discussion, that, for some reason, involved Sealand hopping up and down, kicking his feet, and Seborga gesturing like crazy. The Axis and Allies mingled with East Asia, faces masks of concern.

 _There's my family._

If the ponytailed man was thinking of the five young faces he could just barely see among the Allies and Axis and within the mass of students, or of the entire group, of all of the students there, as a whole, was never to be known.

Long and short of it, Yao felt it was a sight he'd never lose.

The single man in the still pristine red pinstriped suit was at the rear, in heated discussion with another teacher, no one looking in the way of the two soon to be hero's of the school.

Then, out of nowhere, Yao suddenly felt white hot pain erupt through his abdomen.

He managed to process that he'd been stabbed, also managed to process the fact that he been so blindsided he hadn't even screamed, just as Morgan broke away from him and charged at Romulus.

Romulus, who still hadn't turned around.

Hercules raised the pistol and pulled the trigger without hesitation.

An empty click.

"No bullets!" Hercules cursed.

This shout caught Rome's attention, and he spun, amber-gold eyes flying open wide at the sight of Morgan only a few strides away from him.

Rome moved to defend himself, panic setting in as he was fractions to slow.

The pocket knife was aimed to slash his arm before it slit his throat.

Morgan screamed.

The knife plunged forward.

And for that one moment, the world fell silent, and time was still.

As the great Romulus Empire collapsed to the floor.

Everyone stared in stunned disbelief as blood quickly began to pool on the floor. Scarlet overtaking the black wooden floors. No one made any moves, they were all trapped in the moment.

Tears were welling up, breaths were taken to scream, feet were raised to charge forward.

Yao fell onto his side, grasping at the stab wound with both hands, whimpering softly in pain, breathing heavily as he felt blood escaping him, wet and staining his black robe as it poured out between his fingers.

Hercules was on his knees next to him in an instant.

"Yao! Are you ok?"

Yao let out a hissed breath.

"I ...didn't... _miss_."

The blade of Yao's throwing knife was sticking out of Morgan's back, directly between his shoulder blades. It had dug in several inches and blood was quickly pouring from the wound.

"Yao!"

This was a voice the academy unfroze at hearing.

Rome shoved Morgan's body off of him and pushed up to his feet. He himself was stained with blood not his own.

There wasn't so much as a scratch breaking his skin.

The man was as unsurmountable as ever, even when Morgan had been mere footsteps from finally accomplishing his complete victory, the academy had protected him.

Even if that certain man wasn't a student anymore.

Rome was at Yao's side in a heartbeat, pushing Hercules back with a firm hand and lifting Yao up easily.

"You saved us. You saved me." Rome murmured to him.

"Maybe I did...but you're the one who showed me how to do it."

Yao managed weakly before his head lolled back, falling unconscious.

Rome face turned serious.

"We need to get him to the infirmary, stat!" Rome turned and ran off down the hallway, sprinting as fast as he could, controlling his footsteps so not to jostle the young man. Several teachers gave hurried instructions to the students before sprinting off in pursuit.

Rome looked down on Yao, his face weary even in sleep.

The body in his arms was small, perhaps some would even call him weak. But he'd saved the academy this night.

At what cost, it was yet to be seen.

 ** _With East Asia._**

"Where's Onii-san?" Mei Mei was quick to demand this of Professor Native America before she attempted to dodge around the woman in order to enter the infirmary, the window on the door to the room had it's shades drawn shut.

Shoshone was quick to dart back and forth, shimmering sheets of black hair whipping behind her, blocking the taiwanese girls route into the room where her brother was currently receiving treatment for the deep stab wound he'd suffered to the left side.

"He's being treated. Please Mei Mei, do not interrupt them now!"

"What happened to him?" Mei Mei demanded, for her and her other four brothers, all of whom were standing at her back, hadn't been notified of anything other then the fact that their brother had been rushed to the infirmary.

Shoshone let out a heavy breath.  
"He'd captured Morgan, but Morgan drew a knife he'd been hiding in the band of his pants and stabbed China in the left side, the wound is deep, he lost a lot of blood while Rome was sprinting him over here, even more until Ancient Greece arrived minutes later. That is why you need to stay here and let the woman do her work. Bursting in there now would put your brother in even further danger."

Mei Mei's hands had flown to her mouth at the news, tears instantly flooding from her eyes and down her porcelain cheeks.

"Oh god...but...he can't..."

Yao had single handedly taken over the caretaking of his entire family when his parents had been passed away, their father shortly after Li Xiang had been conceived, and their Mother in childbirth since Li Xiang had come so early. Li Xiang had been weak and frail, and worry of him falling ill had constantly plagued the oldest of the family.

Yet Yao had kept him well, and he'd grown tall, strong and healthy.

Hyung Soo was temperamental, constantly threatening to run away from home, hating their situation and claiming he hated his entire family as well. Yao had had to hunt down the older twin when he'd actually gone through with his plan to run away, only to end up in the wrong end of the city at the age of eleven.

Yet Yao had hunted him down and brought him home, where Hyung Soo stayed and came to love his twin and his family again.

Mei Mei had been insecure and unsettled with their life, how people were constantly coming to the door, causing Yao to have to lie about his age and great other many of things in order to keep them from being taken from their home and placed into foster care. Often Mei Mei would worry so badly she'd lose her appetite and even her interesting in anything other then making their family the money they desperately needed.

Yet Yao had reassured her, and she'd grown to become a confident and beautiful young woman.

Kiku was stand offish and silent in all family affairs, he clocked in at eighteen, three years younger then Yao, and he was often caught in flares of seething anger, he and Yao having even gotten into a fist fight in the backyard when Kiku was thirteen. The japanese certain he was far more fit the run the family then Yao ever since he'd gotten old enough to recognize what all the letters coming in the mail contained. And what those papers Yao spent nights up staring at were actually asking of him. Since both of them were trained in self defense, it was far more then a idiotic slap fight.

Yet Yao had calmed him and convinced him, and since then Kiku had been firmly dedicated to protecting their barely held together group of six with everything.

Mei Mei didn't realize her brothers were holding her until after all four of them had surrounded her.

She also hadn't realized that they were crying too.

Yao had let them live their childhoods blissfully unaware of how their eldest brother had lied about his age to get better paying jobs, how he'd skipped out on most if not all of middle and early high school. Yao only told them what was necessary for them to know. That they didn't have much money. That they couldn't be spending on sweets at the store or toys on the holidays. But he taught them that didn't mean they lacked anything, because they had more then enough happiness and love.

That they were all together, and that was enough.

The idea that suddenly their family policy of 'the six of us together' would suddenly become 'the five of us together' was horrifying.

Which was why the entire Wang family sat on the hard, polished wood floors just outside the infirmary door, huddled together and silent.

Waiting for their brother to walk out.

If he didn't, they didn't know _how_ they'd managed to stand back up again.

 ** _Later on, in the infirmary._**

Birds were chirping from within the forest on the cliff that separated the academy, it felt, from the rest of the world.

Yao's eyes creaked unwillingly open to be met with a room of closed blinds and five heads all fast asleep in various of battle prepared uniforms.

Yao gazed around, realizing all five of his siblings were asleep, some resting their heads on his bed, others leaning back in their chairs.

Yao smiled at the sight. He was so happy to see them all. It was a massive relief to know they were ok after the dangerous battle they had all endured the night before.

Wait, had it even been the night before? Or had it been two days? Or three? Just how long had he been out? Yao's head felt rather fuzzy.

In fact, all of him felt rather fuzzy.

Yao reached out a hand, intent on rousing one of his nearer slumbering siblings in order to inquire of the date.

Searing pain raced up his left side, like a torch burning against his skin, the pain ached deeper within his body, causing the pain to spread through his body within a second of movement.

"Gah!" He grit his teeth to keep from crying out, groaning slightly in order to stave it off.

A soft yawn drew his attention from the fiery pain now thankfully subsiding once Yao had grown still one more.

Kiku lifted his head from where it had been resting upon his folded arms upon the bed, deep brown eyes bleary and still blissfully unseeing within sleep.

His eyes then caught up with the rest of his body, and Kiku locked with Yao's golden eyes.'

Yao's very open, very in pain, very confused, yet very _alive_ eyes.

Kiku wasn't one for affection, for tears, or for initiating physical contact.

But keep in mind he'd been told that his older brother had been stabbed and was bleeding in the Headmaster's arms only eight hours beforehand.

It was understandable, yet at the same time incredible to Yao when Kiku cried out.

"Onii-san!"

Wrenched from a throat constricted with emotion.

Yao was quick to open himself up for the unexpected, yet welcome embrace, spreading his arms as much her could, and was glad he did when his little brothers weight landed lightly on him, arms tightening around his neck.

Yao shushed quietly into Kiku's ear, trying to calm him down.

"I'm ok." He promised. "I'm ok."

After a few moments during which Kiku clung onto Yao in a way he hadn't since the day Yao had greeted the japanese at the exit tunnel to the entrance ceremony, the black haired younger pulled back.

"We...we didn't know...if you would even make it." Kiku professed when he saw the still lingering surprise in Yao's golden eyes.

Granted, even Kiku himself knew he wasn't much for hugs or tears.

Which, by the way, were still streaming down his face, he hurriedly wiped at them with a black sleeve of his nehru jacket.

By now, the others were being awoken by the sounds of Kiku's exclamations.

Yao was still stuck on the fact that he, quite literally, with all seriousness, had almost _died_.

Sure, he knew that term had also applied to when he dove into the back of the Allies van amid a rain of gunfire on the first Morgan Mission, and it could have also been used when that armed guard had walked by while he was with Canada in that bunker, it worked well to describe the countless explosions he'd hurled himself away from, could have been scrawled uponn every one of the bullets he'd dodged, and accompanied knives he'd wrestled from other peoples grasp.

But he'd never, _ever_ , actually lain in an infirmary bed with the knowledge that this, for all intents and purposes, could have actually served as his deathbed.

Perhaps he was far to used to brushing with death, to the point where, when he was barely just grazed by it's talons, it felt like nothing more then another story to laugh about in the cafeteria with his friends and family all accounted for.

Because the academy had not once lost an operative.

Yao had come damn close to breaking that streak.

"Onii-san!" Yao was broken from his thoughts when he heard this called out multiple times before he was swamped.

"Aii-yah!" He cried out.

His siblings were laughing and crying at the same time, even Kiku had started up again, the salty tears refusing to stay down.

Yao didn't quite understand why they were all doing that. What was funny about this situation exactly?

He as he struggled to return all of their hugs simultaneously while at the same time trying to use his left arm as little as possible.

Harder then it sounded when he had five full grown people just short of being piled on top of you.

"Don't do that!" Hyung Soo shouted.

"Do what, aru? Get stabbed? That wasn't my intention!" Yao shot back with a roll of his eyes.  
"I do believe he meant, don't scare us like that." Kiku supplied.

"We've been waiting for you to wake up for hours." Mei Mei mumbled into Yao's bare chest, criss crossed with bandages, all to support to binds and stitchings that had been applied just in the nick of time only hours before hand.

Yao sighed. His entire body felt sticky and he was sure he smelled like a mixture of blood, mud, and grass.

The chinese man placed a hand on his sisters back.

"I'm awake now. You didn't have to be up with me. I'm so happy you're all ok. I was so worried, aru." He said.

All of them stared at him, eyes wide, mouths hanging open.

Now they were dog piling him again.

"Aii-yah!" Yao shouted out again as he was completely smothered.

"You can't, like, just be all like, 'I was worried' when we thought you were about to freaking _DIE_!" Li shouted from where he was firmly latched onto Yao's arm.

"Yeah, we were up all night, we didn't even go change! We didn't want to leave you for a second and you're just going to say 'I'm ok, and I was worried about you!?' Worry about yourself, Aniki!" Yong Soo cried.

Yao saw what they were getting at, him constantly worrying about them had gotten him into trouble in the past.

After this incident, they didn't want it getting him killed.

"Please let us worry about you a little bit to." Kiku insisted.

Yao sighed again, the breath gusting from his lips before he drew another, heart pounding strongly in his chest just as it had for the past two decades.

It was looking like he'd make it long enough to suffer through the jokes of making three decades surviving in this mess.

"Alright! I get it, aru! You can worry about me, fine! Now get off me, I can't breath!"

After what a thrill the last few years had been, Yao was looking forward to what type of stories he'd be able to tell come the time he was hearing those three decade jokes.

He was sure, with people like these around, and with such a place as the infamous Hetalia Academy to forever call home, it would be one hell of a good time.

* * *

 _ **Amethyst: Geez...I would think after Tino and Lukas you guys would realize I prefer prolonged torturing of characters to simply killing them off.**_

 _ **Tino: That makes me feel less like I should be grateful you decided not to kill me and more like you only wanted me to suffer more.**_

 _ **Amethyst: I did.**_

 ** _Tino: Oh. Huh._**

 ** _Lukas: I had already figured that out._**

 ** _Amethyst: Yup. Next on my list WAS Denmark..._**

 ** _Mathias: WHAT!?_**

 ** _Amethyst: But considering this story is coming to a close soon, I'll have to ponder what to do with you for a little while...hmm...how does kidnapping sound? Oh oh! Then torture and the eventual forgetting of yourself until you're rescued and return to Scandinavia only to be a totally different person and Norway has to reach you through the shell that the torture had hardened around your heart! AHHHHHH WHERE'S MY LAPTOP I NEED TO START THIS! *Runs away in search of magical laptop.*_**

 ** _Mathias: NOOO! *Chases her*_**

 ** _*Silence*_**

 ** _Tino: Please favorite! Please follow! Please review! Also please let us know what you thought of how the climax of the story was! As always, thank you for reading!_**


	17. Back in the madhouse

**_Please enjoy the next chapter!_**

* * *

 ** _The next day._**

Bella closed the infirmary door quietly behind her.

She'd just been to visit Yao, and they'd talk for well over an hour, Yao apologizing a grand total of thirty nine times for dragging her into this.

She'd counted.

Bella was quite honestly pleased with how things had gone. She didn't have any lasting injuries. With all seriousness, she'd been hit on the hit with something heavy and had just been unconscious, nothing serious.

She'd come to in the infirmary, and shortly after her and her newfound protectors Lovino and Antonio had left, they'd come rushing back to find Yao in critical condition.

The belgian wandered her way towards the front of the academy.

She had gone on the intent of saying goodbye to Yao, wishing him luck. Yet she hadn't managed to bid him farewell, or even broach the topic.

She was supposed to go home now.

Right?

Bella stepped out the front doors of the academy and looked back up at the gorgeous gothic styled building, almost like a castle with the ocean breeze whipping up all around them.

She sighed heavily, wearily, because deep down within her heart, she wanted to stay.

"Big Brother is likely worried sick...I need to go..."

"Hey." An accented female voice echoed out.

Bella jumped at the voice, snapping her head back and forth while she dropped into a defensive stance.

"Who's there?"

"Don't get defensive...I'm a student here." Came the voice again.

Bella turned to look over her shoulder as a girl with sheer blonde, very long hair held back from her face by a headband with a massive black bow on it stepped out from the forest.

She was wearing what Bella thought looked like a maids outfit, with an apron, bows, and ruffles in the customary red and black that everyone wore at this school.

Granted, lace up knee high combat boots weren't all that 'customary' for a maids uniform, but Bella knew this girl wasn't actually a maid.

"Why are you still hanging around in those rags?" The girl demanded.

Bella blinked, surprised by the rashness, then looked down and plucked at her clothes.

The girl was right, they were covered with dust from the falling ceiling panels, the tie was missing, and the top button of her shirt had popped off, showing off a bit more cleavage then was necessary.

Without any sort of introduction, the skinny, pale girl strode forward and seized Bella by the wrist.

"Come on." She dragged her in the direction of the academy doors, to enter the building once more.

Bella struggled weakly, stumbling along behind her as they approached the large polished wooden double doors she'd already made up in her mind never to walk through again.

She feared if she did, she'd never bring herself to leave.

"I can't! I need to get back to Big Brother! He's likely worried sick!"

The girl clicked her tongue uncaringly.

"You can't go back to your Big Brother dressed like that. You need to present yourself better or he'll never love you."

Bella stared at the girls back as she was shoved through the doors.

"What? I don't think Big Brother really cares about how I dress...I mean, he did tell me I'm not allowed to wear anything that shows off to much...but I'm pretty sure he was being protective, not that he didn't think I looked good in it."

The girl scowled.

"Perhaps. My relationship with my Big Brother is special, it is something no one else on this planet is allowed to have. But I will try to be nice, like Big Sister has told me to try and do, so I will lend you my spare uniform."

Bella's eyes widened, she looked shocked

"No no! I could never! Besides, I have to leave soon."

The girl looked over her shoulder with a surprised glint in her icy blue eyes.

"No you do not. Did you not hear Professor Ancient Egypt? Our security concerns..." The girl began.

Bella nodded.

"Yes, yes, I know I know, if I tell anyone about the school you'll hunt me down and kill me or whatever, I already swore I wouldn't tell anyone. Not even Big Brother."

The girl suddenly dropped Bella's hand and spun around, looking amazed.

"You would not even tell your Big Brother? That is how far you are willing to go to protect us?"

Bella was completely befuddled by this strangers behavior. She'd seen this girl around when they were battling, but it wasn't as though Bella had gone around to introduce herself or anything. The brunette managed a floppy nod.

The girl seized Bella's hands in her own, her eyes sparkling with a deep respect.

"You are truly trustworthy! Professor Ancient Egypt was right! I should not have doubted her! I am Natalya, and from now on you will stay with Big Sister and me! Come!"

Bella let out a surprised yelp as Natalya turned and took off up the hallway, Bella flying out like a flag behind her, wailing.

"W-W-W-What!?"

Natalya didn't reply, only continued racing down the corridors, pulling Bella behind her, deeper into the halls as red and black and the walls of gray and coffee colored browns flew by. Doors upon doors to classrooms and training gyms and dorms flew by.

Until they arrived at a dead end, and Natalya released her death grip on Bella's arm, lifting up a portrait and leaning towards the scanner.

"Welcome, Natalya Braginsky, Solo Operative."

The center of the wall cracked open and Natalya leapt into the shaft, pulling Bella in with her.

Once the doors closed, Bella rounded on her.

"What are you doing? I have to get home!" Bella exclaimed.

Natalya looked at her blankly.

"But this is home now. Our security concerns detail..."

"I SAID I PROMISED! NOT EVEN BIG BROTHER AND ALL THAT!" Bella roared in an interruption.

Before Natalya could get all sparkly eyed again at Bella's supposed devotion the door to the elevator opened and Natalya went tearing off into the new expanse of halls, Bella in hot pursuit because she wanted to hammer into this stubborn girls head that she couldn't _possibly_ stay here.

After all, she had her job at the OEE!

 _Which I've likely been fired from for vanishing and associating with Yao._

There were all of the friends she'd made there!

 _No one there liked me, they thought I was to loud, I only ever talked to Big Brother._

Big Brother! What about Grant? She couldn't just walk out on him!

 _Big Brother told me he didn't want me to stay somewhere I was unhappy. He wanted me to find a place where I could be myself and feel accepted._

"Good luck, brave girl! I will wait at the other side for you!" Natalya exclaimed before shoving Bella through yet another set of doors and slamming them shut.

Bella spun around and stared up at the large doors that had just been closed to her.

She looked across to see what looked like an arena to her, but it was nothing but empty dirt and a few walls, there was an open tunnel to the opposite side.

 _Ok, so all I have to do is walk across?_

Bella thought, that seemed straightforward enough.

Then the overhead lights were switched on, and the area was bathed in golden light.

Then the crowd stared cheering.

Bella shrieked in fear and surprise.

She spotted Rome, the man she'd secretly been wishing to talk to, if just to commend him for what he'd done here, standing tall at the side of the arena fence.

"Ready? Let the initiation ceremony, COMMENCE!"

Bella turned to face the formerly empty dirt area just in time to see a hardened disk come flying directly for her face.

"WAFFLES!"

 ** _The Infirmary._**

Yao raised an eyebrow at Kiku.

"Really? So Bella's being initiated right now, aru? Interesting." Yao murmured.

Kiku nodded.

"Oh, and also, I must warn you. I have been told by Feliciano that the Allies intend to..."

"YAO BRO!"

The door burst open and Alfred came shooting into the room like an out of control pinball, a massive grin on his face, he was closely pursued by the rest of the Allied forces.

"AII-YAH!" Yao screamed as Alfred pounced on him in a hug.

"...visit later today...oh dear." Kiku hesitantly finished.

Yao groaned openly as he punched Alfred off of him and onto the floor.

"I don't have the energy or the patience to deal with this right now!"

Alfred jumped up to his feet again, totally unfazed by Yao's powerful punch to the stomach.

Kiku sidled for the door.

"Don't you dare leave me with them, aru!" Yao shouted.

Too late, Kiku was already out the door.

Yao massaged his temple with his good arm, his left arm still by his side.

"Ni-hao, everyone, aru." Yao reluctantly greeted.

Ivan walked over and patted Yao on the head.

"I was very much the worried about you, Comrade Yao."

Yao didn't have the energy to swat Ivan's hand away and consented to his hair getting splayed about by the gloved hand.

"Sorry, Ivan. It wasn't really my intention to get stabbed by Morgan. I'm just glad this is finally over."

He glanced up in confusion as the other five Allies shared a concerned look, as if they had some bad news to break.

"About that, dude..." Alfred began slowly.

Arthur looked over to Yao apologetically.

"We're afraid that..."

Francis threw a hand in the air, as if accepting the horrible irony of the situation.

"Oui...Morgan, he is gone!"

Yao's mouth dropped open.

"B-But...no, aru. That can't be. I'm positive my knife hit him. I didn't miss!"

Alfred tried to be supportive.

"You were spot on target, bro, we all saw."

Arthur nodded.

"But unfortunately, Morgan escaped and one of the few squads of men we missed helped him get away. Crawled back to his lair like the maggot he is ot lick his newest wound, no doubt. Dammit."

Arthur fisted his hand.

"We were so close!"

Francis nodded solemnly.

"We were indeed."

Matthew spoke up for the first time since he'd arrived with the others.

"True. But you know, we can't lose hope, eh? Yao _did_ pin him with a knife in the back, it will be a long time before he tries again."

Yao leaned his head back in the pillows.

"Well...we'll just have to be ready for next time, aru."

Alfred glanced down at his injured friend, brow knit in confusion.

"We? Yao, aren't you heading back to New York as soon as your wound heals up?"

Yao felt as though a massive sweat drop went sliding down his head as he chuckled awkwardly.

"Oh...yeah...about that...I may have gotten a bit pissed off at the president of the OEE."

Arthur crossed his arms, looking skeptic.

"Pissed off how?"

"I slammed his face into the wall a couple times, aru. We got into a fist fight and I knocked him out against the tile floor. Then I dropped my agent ID on him and left."

Alfred burst out laughing, as expected of him, and the other four groaned.

"Yao...that was a good job!" Matthew chided softly.

Yao would have shrugged if his arms had been capable of the movement.

"Yeah, but I hated it, aru. What's the point if you aren't happy?"

Ivan's violet orbs brightened up all of the sudden.  
"If you are not intending to be the going back, then does that mean you are coming the home?"

All of the Allies looked at him with varying degrees of shock.

That thought hadn't crossed their minds, and it wasn't as though that empty bedroom in their base had been filled yet.

Yao grumbled under his breath for a moment before sighing.

"I expect all of my Hello Kitty merchandise to be in storage, aru. You all move it for me."  
Ivan's smile was practically miles wide, and Francis fell into a dramatic speech about how home was where the heart was and all that. He was just getting into insulting Arthur via the speech when the brit punched him in the face. Then Matthew tried to break them up while Alfred laughed in the background.

Yao plugged his ear with his good hand.

 _Great. I'm back in the madhouse._

* * *

 _ **Amethyst: Yao's back to stay!**_

 _ **Mathias: Hey!**_

 _ **Amethyst: What?**_

 _ **Mathias: WHAT ABOUT YOUR TORTURE FIC YOU WERE GONNA KILL ME IN!?**_

 _ **Amethyst: Silly silly Mathias, I didn't write that.**_

 _ **Mathias: Whew...**_

 _ **Amethyst: You get cut up with your own axe and beat up and whipped a ton while pretending you're Iceland in order to protect him but then are revealed as Denmark and then they punish you even more until you lose the willingness to fight back and become completely subservient even to the point where you won't talk or respond unless someone orders you too, thats all!**_

 _ **Mathias: AHHHHHHHHHHHH! MAD WOMAN! *Runs away***_

 _ **Amethyst: *Reaches slowly for magical laptop* You can't hide from me...**_

 _ **Kiku: Indeed. As we have visited previously, Amethyst-san manipulates this entire world along with her so called 'readers' who 'review' to ask things of her. None of us can escape her because our entire world is her play thing. Most of time the readers who hold so much sway over our lives seem to enjoy reading about us in pain and suffering heartbreak. Especially me. *Turns to Amethyst* Was blinding, explosions, stabbings, burnings, shootings, and tearing my soul apart not enough for you?**_

 _ **Amethyst: Don't forget the darkness infesting your heart when you were a kid!  
**_

 _ **Kiku: ...hai. That too.**_

 _ **Amethyst: Of course it wasn't! Don't worry Kiku, I'm gonna pick on the Nordic's for a while, I'll get back to your family later.**_

 _ **Nordic's: NO!  
**_

 _ **East Asians: THANK GOD!**_

 _ **Amethyst: POLAND!**_

 _ **Feliks: Please everyone, leave some extra fabulous reviews, give us some favs and follows to, because you guys are, like, totes the best readers we could have EVER asked for, we love you peeps! Later!**_


	18. Not quite the Roman Empire

**_Please enjoy the next chapter!_**

* * *

 ** _In Arena #1_**

Bella was flying.

No, she was quite literally flying.

Stepping on a land mine could do that to a person.

The brunette was cartwheeling through the air, screaming her lungs out, while 90% of the academy's student body cheered her on.

Bella hit the ground running because several more disks were already being fired at her.

Once she properly zoned in, she figured out the course pretty easily, dodge, duck, jump and repeat until she made it through.

At least, that seemed like a solid plan.

The belgian saw the opening and she sprinted for it, racing towards one of the walls as several flying disks were fired at her retreating back. She planted one foot firmly to the side of the wall and vaulted over the wall. A drop roll was how she landed, and she ran as quickly as she could to the tunnel where she could see Natalya waiting for her, jumping up and down and waving her hands in the air.

Once Bella barreled into the exit tunnel, Natalya was on top of her.

"You made it, brave girl!" She exclaimed.

"My name is Bella!" The so called 'brave girl' insisted.

Natalya nodded eagerly, a bright smile on her face.

"Yes, yes! And you are from Belgium, correct?"

Bella nodded, "Yeah."

"Then you are also now our Belgium!"

Bella stared at her as if she'd just gone absolutely mad.

Then it started to make a lot of sense.

Considering that Yao was China, his team was the Allied Forces, and this girl had been addressed as Belarus before.

"Was that...a test?"

Natalya made a 'so-so' gesture with one hand.

"We call it an initiation. The arena set on it's most difficult stun level."

"Stun? You mean people can be killed in there!?" Bella shrieked, horrified.

Natalya nodded.

"Can, yes. Have been, no. The academy prides itself on having never lost an operative, not in training, nor in the field. Our safety procedures always put the students first. This place is the very best you can ask for in training, educational studies, and after graduation assistance. My siblings and I were all selected to train here, and it was the greatest day of my life to come and see Big Brother and Big Sister waiting for me!"

"Glad to hear you speaking so highly of us, Belarus." A baritone voice came from behind.

"Headmaster! You're already here!" Natalya greeted.

Bella spun around.

Headmaster Rome was there, alright, and for all the supposed grandeur Bella had imagined after his speech and fighting under his command, the man was surprisingly plain looking out of such a context. Slight stubble bit at his chin, and he had an array of random curls sticking out from his hair. Those amber gold eyes still looked as though they could melt steel, the burning fire in there depths had not changed.

Swallowing hard, Bella struggled to come up with something to say even as Rome strode up to her.

"Hello, Belgium."

"Er, hi, uh, that is...wait, what?"

Rome chuckled softly.

"Perhaps this was a bit rushed, but I couldn't risk you running off."

Rome spread his arms out to gesture to the surrounding tunnel, when really, he was reaching out to signal the academy as a whole.

"Welcome to our school, Bella Abel. You've passed initiation, and all you need to do now is pick out your uniforms and your majors."

Bella's eyes bugged out.

"I-I'm sorry...I didn't even sign up for this academy!"

"None of us did. Most of the student body was kidnapped to attend." Natalya popped in.

"What!?" Bella cried out, rounding on the belarusian girl, who put up her hands in a nonchalant surrendering gesture.

Yao had certainly left out that little detail. Or had he? As Bella wracked his brain trying to remember, Rome pressed forward in an attempt to iron out that tiny issue.

"Right. Anyway. Our security concerns detail..."

"I ALREADY SAID I WOULDN'T..." Bella made to interrupt loudly as she had every time anyone had tried to bring up the security details.

"Ahem." Rome simply cleared in throat.

Bella swallowed down the rest of her protest, she was fine with interrupting others her age, but this man who garnered so much respect, she had to at least let him finish.

Rome simply gave her a raised eyebrow as she shut her mouth, before repeating himself.

"As I was saying, Our security concerns detail that anyone of age who enters the academy and learns of our secrets must join the student body. No exceptions. As Yao has told me, you are eighteen, correct? Well within recruitable age."

Bella's mouth dropped open.

So that was what everyone had been trying to tell her.

Well then.

The belgian girl gulped audibly.

"B-But I couldn't possibly...I mean my brother...I can't..."

Rome waved a hand nonchalantly.

"You will be provided with the means to contact him and next school holiday I could authorize a visit from him. Hmm...how old is he?"

"A year my senior." Bella replied, head still spinning from this new information. Her brother had always acted older then he actually was.

"Nineteen then?"

Bella nodded, ever since he'd made it his responsibility to take care of Bella, her brother had acted older then he actually was.

Rome stroked his stubbly chin.

"Hmm...a bit old...but perhaps...I'll have to speak with Yao. See what I can do."

Rome turned his attention to Natalya.

"Natalya, dear, take Bella to get her uniforms sorted out, then take her on a tour. I'll let you know when I have a solo dorm room ready for her to move into."

Natalya nodded, then spoke herself.

"Not necessary, sir. I have already invited her to say with Big Sister and myself in our dorm. We have plenty of room. I was intending to lend her one of my spare uniforms until tomorrow, but I can take her to get her own as well. I didn't think about the class schedule being interrupted."

Rome's eyes brightened.

"Ah, really? Very good, waita be welcoming! In that case, be sure to get her moved in comfortably, yes?"

"Of course, sir. On that topic, when do you plan for classes to resume?"

Rome groaned and covered his eyes with one hand.  
"...I haven't even considered that. Once we have the damages to the school repaired, I suppose. Perhaps three days?"

"Ok." The silvery blonde agreed easily.

"See you girls later, then!" Rome departed with this cheery goodbye, and Bella was left to gather herself with a poker faced belorussian as her only company.

"Well, lets go!" Natalya grabbed Bella's hand and off they strode again.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Do I get a say in this?" Bella cried out, making to yank her hand free before she realized how powerful of a grip the bow donning girl had.

"No." Natalya replied easily.

"What!?" Bella shrieked.

They entered the main halls, and moved off towards the fitting room of the academy, where dozens upon dozens of outfits were waiting to be tried on.

"No one here was given the choice to attend. Do not assume that Hetalia Academy is something you sign up for. You are selected and brought in. Then you study. No choice is given for you to return home. Most of us who have families back in our home countries will not see them until we graduate and are free to move by ourselves once more."

Bella's mouth dropped open.  
"No way...but thats horrible..."

Belarus shrugged.

"It is life here. Headmaster Rome is not a cruel man. But he is not as generous as you think. He is like the famed Roman Empire he is named after. The empire of ancient times promoted free speech and education, did not look down upon those of other races, and remained in good favor with the rest of the world. Yet, at the same time, countless slaves were owned or traded, the poor were abused and discriminated against, and those with power ruled with an iron fist. Do you understand now, why we call him Rome?"

Bella's eyes were deeply saddened, clearly, she had been assuming only great things, while this academy hid dark secrets as well.  
"Yes...I do..."

Bella sighed.  
"But. Headmaster Rome is also not at all like the Roman Empire of old."

Bella looked up again, Natalya was still guiding her along by the hand.

"Do you notice how many groups here are family? Not to mention that over 70% of the students here are orphans. Many of us were homeless before we were recruited. Many of us only had our siblings, and were overjoyed when they were, seemingly by coincidence, recruited as well. It was no coincidence. We all know it. Headmaster wants us all to be happy, and whenever he can, he brings in entire groups of siblings, even if some show more promise then others."

Bella then thought back on how Rome had walked off, muttering about age differences under his breath.

"He was thinking about how to bring your brother. How to find some little loophole that would cause the professors to unanimously approve of the disregard to the entry age in his case." Natalya seemed to read the brunettes mind.

"But it will be hard to make it look like a coincidence. Your brother is far older then any the usual recruits. Normal over average age recruits are around seventeen. We've had only one or two eighteen year olds. I can't recall us ever bringing in anyone older. But that is why he offered to organize for visits. Because he wants you to be happy here. That is why he is both the perfect representation of the Roman Empire, and at the same time, he couldn't be farther from what the Empire truly represented."

Finally, they arrived at the large polished wooden doors to the fitting room, and Natalya released Bella's arm.

"Come. We will get you your uniforms."

Bella entered, and was instantly overrun with nothing but red and black, on every wall, on every pole, on every rack, ever size and shape and cut and fabric imaginable.

"Whoa." She managed.

"Dress and shoe size." Her company demanded, already immersed within the racks.

"Umm..." Bella pondered, trying to recall her numbers. She gave her best guess and once the dress was found, Natalya hustled Bella into a changing room.

Bella did her best to put the school uniform dress on.

Natalya waited outside, tapping her foot on the ground, arms crossed as she listened to rustling fabric and shuffling feet from behind the dressing room curtain.

"Natalya! I'm stuck!" Came a frantic cry a moment later.

Natalya rolled her eyes and pulled back the curtain, to a shriek from Bella.

The belgian had one arm in the sleeve, the other was jammed within the tighter waist section. Her head was halfway through the correct hole, the lace that was normally smoothed down over the front was sticking up as well. The scarlet ribbons for the large bow to be tied at the back, and to help cinch the waist of the dress tight, was wrapped around one of the girls legs.

"Of course you are, you're trying to put it on around the lining!"

The belorussian scolded as she entered the space.

"What's a lining?" Bella questioned.

Natalya groaned. "Have you never worn a proper dress before?" She demanded haughtily.

"No, not really! Big Brother and I were well off growing up, but never to the point where I got anything more then a pinafore."

Natalya sighed heavily and massaged her forehead before stepping fully into the room and snapping the curtain shut.

"What are you doing!?" Bella cried out as she moved backwards to get away from the reaching hands.

"We're both girls, and I closed the curtain, if you try and get it off on your own you'll rip it!" With this, she seized the top of the dress and pulled it clean off.

"EEEEEEK!" Bella clutched at her chest.

"Calm down, you're wearing a bra still."

Bella's face was bright red.

"Even so!" She cried.

Belarus rearranged the dress properly, and then her icy eyes fixed on Bella.  
"Arms up, lets get it on."  
Humiliated at having to be helped to dress, she did as told.

"If it makes you feel better."

Natalya began as she pulled the dress over Bella's head and smoothed down the lace at the front.

"I never wore proper dresses when I was younger either. My sister had to help me dress the first time I got my uniform."  
Bella sighed.

"I guess that does make me feel a bit better." She mumbled as she was spun around and the ribbon was tied at the back.

"There." Natalya huffed proudly before turning her gaze downward.

"Now, what are you doing with the socks?"

Bella had put on the socks, but had also rolled them down to be just below her knees.

"Well, they were really high, so I figured I should roll them down."Bella replied.

Natalya shook her head, looking vaguely amused.

"They're _supposed_ to be that high. If we wanted knee high socks the school would have bought knee high socks."

Natalya reached down and pulled both the socks up the belgians legs.

"There."

Bella jumped backwards after this was done, and pushed the front of her dress down in between her legs, hunching over with a tomato red face.

"You need to learn about personal boundaries!"

Natalya raised an eyebrow. "So you'd rather me leave you trapped in your own dress in the fitting room?"

Bella moaned. "Fine! But never again!"

"Whatever you say."

Natalya said as she walked out of the room.

Bella put on her black mary janes and exited the room as well.

"Do you have a headband in red? Mine doesn't match."  
She removed the green headband she normally wore and turned it over in her hands. Green plus red and black totally clashed.

"I'm sure we have one somewhere. I'll look. Meanwhile, you go check the mirror to see if you like the look."

Bella nodded and Natalya vanished into the racks once more.

The new recruit wandered her way over to the mirror, and looked in.

She saw a Hetalia Academy student staring back at her. The emblem was stitched to her lapel, over her heat, and she felt just the smallest glow of inner pride at being able to say that she went here.

Even though this would mean she had to go back to school.

 _Ugh._

Natalya made her abrupt return.  
"You like?" She asked briefly as she handed Bella a headband nearly identical to her old one in red.

Only difference was it had a black plastic Hetalia Academy winged symbol on both sides, symmetrically.

Bella pushed the headband into place and smiled.

"Love it!" She agreed easily.

It was best not to argue at the moment, she supposed, but she rather liked her new outfit all the same.

Natalya gave a brisk jut of the chin before she led the way back into the racks.  
"Now pick combat uniform. Anything you'd like." She gestured to the massive sets of clothes.

"Wow!" Bella shot into the shopping with gusto, but eventually decided on something close to home.

By close to home, she meant very close to her old mission uniform. A black button up short sleeve safari shirt that was form fit, with a red tie, and a matching black safari pleated skirt atop red tight leggings and knee high black boots. She elected to wear the same headband with the outfit, and, now that she'd collected it, exited the fitting room along with Natalya, with the official school uniform on, and her battle uniform in a bag.

As Natalya began to escort Bella towards the dorms to put the stuff away before the tour, the belgian was already miles away in her mind.

Because who would have thought she'd come here as an alien, and wind up as a member of this infamous world of red and black?

* * *

 ** _Amethyst: Awkward ending, I know, I know. Just go with it. I had no better way to end the chapter and it was getting really long so I sorta cut it off._**

 ** _Michelle: Yay! Another girl! Welcome!_**

 ** _Bella: Thanks so much!_**

 ** _Irunya: Yes, we are most happy to be having you!_**

 ** _Natalya: Big Sister, is this not your first time in the sign off room?  
_**

 ** _Irunya: Well, it is my first time talking. I was here when we all got stuck during Valentin's initiation._**

 ** _Valentin: *Shouts from across the room* SORRY ABOUT THAT!_**

 ** _Irunya: *Waves to him* IT'S OK! WE ALREADY FORGAVE YOU!  
_**

 ** _Mei: While we're on this topic. Amethyst, why are the girls out numbered about twenty to one in this school?_**

 ** _Amethyst: And you're up again, Kiku!_**

 ** _Kiku: As I have stated many, many times before, this is not our universe. It is a universe we were pulled into by Amethyst-san. She used this powerful weapon called 'Fanfiction' to force us here from our home in the original Hetalia cannon universe, where we used to live. She also used those abilities to change us into humans. The reason there are so few girls in the academy is because there are so few female nations in the original Hetalia cannon universe. I believe that Amethyst-san was going to remedy this with, how do you say? Ah, yes, OC's, but didn't want to ruin the fact that she had not yet used an OC for anything other then where it was necessary, such as Morgan and our Professors, and didn't want to resort to them unless it was absolutely a last resort._**

 ** _Amethyst: Thank you, Kiku Wang, our resident fourth wall shatterer!_**

 ** _Kiku: Another thing. Why are we all the 'Wang' siblings? Why couldn't we use my original last name?  
_**

 ** _Amethyst: Because I like China more then you._**

 ** _Yao: HA!_**

 ** _Kiku: Oh...huh._**

 ** _Irunya: Please favorite, please follow, please review! Thank you all so much for reading, we really appreciate you helping us make it to five wonderful stories! We couldn't have done it without you!_**


	19. You might as well

**_Please enjoy the next chapter!_**

* * *

 ** _At Dinner, two days later._**

"WHAT!?"

The entire room seemed to scream this as one as Yao settled down at a table and promptly slumped over the top of it in exhaustion.

"You heard me, aru." Yao yawned.

He'd spent the last three days in the infirmary, being forced to heal. Lukas had come by a few times to sympathize with him. The Norwegian had been given much the same treatment when he'd been shot by one of Morgan's bullets on the 45th floor of Morgan Skyscraper during the second Morgan mission.

Mei raced up, hands fluttering about in shock.

"But...but...but...what about the OEE?"

Yao didn't lift his head from the table as he replied.

"I got fired for beating up the President."

The entire group groaned.

"He asked for it, aru!" Yao defended himself weakly.

Kiku spoke up timidly.  
"So...does this mean..."

Yao nodded into the table.  
"I'm back to stay, aru. New York isn't all it's cut out to be. I like it here better. Even if I have to do homework for the next four years."

Yao wasn't sure why, but at that moment everyone started cheering, seeming to be all to happy that they wouldn't have to get a replacement China.

Because really, a person like Yao was irreplaceable.

Wisteria wove her way through the small crowd around Yao's table and popped up in front of him.

"So you'll be back in Orchestra?" She asked, eyes sparkling.

Yao smiled. "Of course. As soon as I can be."  
"Yay!" Wy tossed her arms into the air.

Alfred snickered.

"Let's just hope there isn't another wok wielding chinese guy with a stupid obsession over something pathetic like Hello Kitty on his way already."

Yao's head snapped on Alfred with a burning fire lit in his eyes and the twins were quick to pin him to the chair.  
"Aniki, not while you're still hurt."  
Hyung Soo nodded quickly.  
"Yeah, save it for when you can beat him up properly! Right now wasting your energy wouldn't be worth it!"

Yao groaned.

"I'll kill you later, aru!" He declared, glaring at Alfred, who chuckled worriedly before shuffling away.

He and Yao did live in the same base, after all. That threat was all to easy to carry out.

Shaking his head tiredly, the golden eyes man decided, just this once, he'd let Alfred off the hook, and made to stand.

"I'm starving, let's get something to eat already!"

Before he could fully even slide from the tall chair onto his feet, his sister was hugging him from behind to keep him from getting up while Kiku made a quick pace for the food bar.

"Kiku'll get it for you, you just stay put."

Yao rolled his eyes.

"I can walk!"  
Mei Mei nodded.

"Yeah, but you can't carry anything with your left arm, not yet!"

As Yao grumbled under his breath, Kiku returned with his brothers plate.

"Here, Onii-san. Is that enough?"

Yao was still mumbling grievances under his breath, but managed a smile.

He'd done this to his siblings countless times when they were sick or injured. They were old enough now to do the same to him.

"Yes. Thanks." He said.

Kiku _actually_ smiled back. Very brightly at that.

 _It's a freaking miracle._

Yao thought as he took up his fork.

Soon enough, the rest of the group died down around him, his siblings taking up the five remaining chairs at the table, which had quickly become cluttered with napkins, plates of food, silverware, and glasses with assorted drinks in them.

It was to easy for all of them to forget where they were. For a moment, it was simple to imagine they were in their old house, all around the crammed kitchen table, bumping elbows and knocking feet under the table as they ate, picking off each others plates.

Forget the fact that their old house had been engulfed in an explosion, with extra fireworks thanks to Li's secret collection, and that they were currently on the ground floor of the academy they had once only known as 'that strange private school up on the cliff'.

What was important, was that it felt like home.

 ** _In the hallway near the Mess Hall._**

Bella wandered down the hall, looking dazed.

She was completely lost.

She wasn't even positive what floor she was on.

Relief flooded her when she saw a swish of pig tails heading around the corner.

"Hey! Hey! Wait up!" She called out, sprinting down the hall, the heels of her black mary janes causing her footsteps to echo as she ran towards the flash of brown hair she'd seen.

She rounded the corner to see the islander she'd only briefly acquainted with before, Seychelles, halted, turning to see who was calling out to her.

Bella panted for a moment before speaking.

"Thank god! I was so lost! I'm trying to find the Mess Hall."  
Seychelles cocked her head to the side.

"Oh? Well come, it is just down this hallway!"

The girl had a charming french accent and a gorgeous smile.

"Thank you so much!" Bella exclaimed, jogging up to her.

For a few moments, they walked in silence.

The belgian brunette broke the silence first.

"I'm Bella, by the way. I've only heard you being called Seychelles. Is that where you are from?"

The tanned girl seemed to snap out of it, blinking a few times before chuckling.

"Oh, oui! I am Michelle. That is my real name. I am indeed from Seychelles."

Bella smiled brightly.

"Wow, it must be so beautiful there, is it really all those bright sands and jungles and perfect blue water?"

Michelle seemed warmed at the praise to her homeland, and practically glowed with her reply.

"Oui! It is magnificent at home! We have little condensed air pollution, so at night, if there be no clouds, you can see every star, as if they were close enough to touch. Out on the beaches at night, it is simply magical!"

Bella looked intrigued.

"Sounds amazing!"

Michelle nodded, her chest puffed proudly.

"I love my home. And of you, you are from Belgium?"

Bella scratched the back of her head sheepishly.

"Yes, I grew up near the border of the Netherlands with my Big Brother Grant, it's pretty nice there. Lots of nice towns. No tropical beaches, I'm afraid!"

The girls shared a laugh.

"Here is the mess hall! You should come sit with the other girls! Come, come!"

Michelle gestured for Bella to follow her, and they wound up at a small table filled with all of the girls of Hetalia Academy.

All eight of them.

Bella looked very confused at the small group.

"So, this is all the girls at the school?"

"Ridiculous, right?" A brown haired girl slammed a massive frying pan down onto the table.

"I complained to the Headmaster about it once! He told me that it wasn't because he was favoring guys, it was just because most of the qualified recruits ending up being boys! Still no fair!"

A girl with a chest size that made Bella look flat chested waved a comforting hand.

"Now, Eliza, don't be so upset. You're one of the best in the academy all the same, sweetheart!"

Natalya was seated at the table as well, arms crossed as she started off into space.

Bella settled down at the table with them, adding another female to the group that desperately needed some members.

Bella found herself sandwiched in between Michelle and a very small girl who's feet kicked beneath her chair. Granted, they were seated at the high tables of the Mess Hall, and everyones feet dangled, but she was still a lot smaller then the others at the table.

The big busted girl, whom Bella assumed was Natalya's sister due to the similarities in appearance, noticed Bella gazing at her.

"This is our little pride and joy, Wisteria is the second youngest in academy history! She'll be turning fourteen soon, oh, maybe you can help us set up for a nice party!"

Ukraine clapped her hands excitedly.

"Oy! Irunya, I'm not that small!" Wisteria protested.

Bella chuckled. "Well, I'm Bella for anyone who doesn't know."

Ukraine waved to her. "We all know! But I did not greet you personally yet. I'm Irunya Braginsky. You've already met my little sister, Natalya. It's so nice to welcome another girl into the group!"

"Oui, I fully agree!" Michelle chirped.

A dark blonde with bright, shining mossy eyes looked up to her.

"I'm Lilli Zwingli! It's so very nice to meet you!"

Bella's face cracked into an awed smile.

"I'm sorry. What's wrong?" Lilli questioned.

"You're so freaking adorable..."

Lilli giggled. "Thank you!"

She said before she stood.

"I'm gonna go get a drink." She said, then she turned and walked off.

Bella was left to gawk at the _military grade sniper rifle_ hanging off the back of her chair, which had been left empty.

The little girl, Wisteria, next to her, snickered.

"Yeah, things here aren't as they seem. Never." Wy laughed.

Bella gave a tired sigh.

"I've realized that. Still having some trouble getting used to the fact that this place actually exists."

The girl with the frying pan grinned recklessly.

"Sure does. Best school on earth! I'm Elizabeta, by the way!"

Bella nodded. She had a lot of new names to remember.

Not like that was a bad thing. She'd never had any long lasting friends before. These girls seemed to be likely candidates.

As Bella began to chatter with them, swapping stories and information about each other, she was unaware of Yao watching from across the Mess Hall.

"Looks like she's finally found a place to belong." He murmured.

"What was that, Onii-san?" Mei Mei asked from his side, she was the only girl of the academy that wasn't at the usual girls table.

Yao shook his head.

"Oh it was nothing, aru."

 ** _Several weeks later._**

"AII-YAH!"

Yao dove frantically to the side as the micro nations went shooting by, Aurel in tow. They'd taken on the responsibility of toting the nine year old around when Valentin could not. Surprisingly, Wisteria was more then able to keep all those boys in check, and now they were apparently playing tag in the middle of the halls during school hours.

"Professor Britannia is going to kill you all, aru!"

Yao shouted after them,

"She'd have to catch us first!" Romeo called back as they vanished around the corner.

Yao pushed up to his feet, a slight soreness all that remained of the formerly life threatening injury he'd suffered. He'd been warned by Professor Ancient Egypt to be careful, but with all honestly, he'd been sick of puttering around letting people do stuff for him after the first week. Bella was becoming fast friends with everyone in the academy, and was happily living in the base of the Braginsky sisters, and it appeared that the arrangement would become permanent.

Yao was immensely happy for her, he was very glad she'd stowed away that night that seemed to be ages ago. In truth, it had been a little less then three weeks since Morgan's invasion. There had been no news of Morgan, be he alive or dead, and Rome was putting effort into finding out.

The thought that, finally, the horrendous man had been put down at long last, echoed from the academy students with hope. He'd done to much to them to afford much mercy, after all.

As he returned to his slow paced walk through the halls, Yao considered what was coming next.

Would he try to go off to another organization? Or would he remain for a full term? After the full term, what would happen? He couldn't remain a student forever. Even so, that was four long years into the future. It was hard to believe it had been less then three years, more like two and a half, since the very first Morgan mission. What would have happened, had Yao not agreed to go on that long ago quest?

 _Oh, who cares?_

Yao snickered to himself.

 _I've survived being shot at, thrown out of second story windows, jumping away from explosions, being stabbed, and Italy's driving. I've been beaten, burned, thrown, shot at and stabbed. What the hell else could the world throw at me that I couldn't catch?_

Yao stopped at the arch empty arch, and, after a moment on consideration, vaulted the waist high wall and jumped out. He walked out, up to the cliffs edge, and felt the powerful wind that was blowing in from the sea surround him, tousling his hair and plucking at his nehru collar jacket.

He gazed out with golden orbs at the ocean. Endless, it seemed, expanding out into a basin of churning waters that reached beyond the horizon. From here, it looked infinite. Yao was facing the same. A massive world full of infinite possibilities. For all he knew, he was going to die the next day, but at this point, he wasn't worried about it. Whether he died in a week, a month, a year, a decade, maybe even a century.

He still felt, at this moment, like nothing could touch him. Right now, after weathering another threat, he felt like he was invincible. Standing at the cliffs edge, with the world of red and black he so loved at his back, nothing was impossible. It felt like he would jump from the edge and fly.

Right now, at this one, perfect moment, caught in the tides of an uncertain time, you may as well have just called him immortal.

* * *

 ** _The End._**

* * *

 _ **IMPORTANT PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE READ BEFORE FINISHING STORY!**_

* * *

 _ **Amethyst: There we go! Five stories up, posted, completed!**_

 _ **Rome: So thats it?**_

 _ **Amethyst: Yup.**_

 _ **Mathias: Thats really it?**_

 _ **Amethyst: Yup.**_

 _ **Alfred: Like, really, REALLY it?**_

 _ **Amethyst: Yup yup yup.**_

 _ **Tino: As in, no more?**_

 _ **Amethyst: YUP!**_

 _ **Gojosen: Really, honestly, 100% series over?**_

 ** _Amethyst: YUP! YUP! YUP! What part of 'yup' do not understand?_**

 ** _Arthur: Bloody hell, I can't believe she's actually canceling us._**

 ** _Francis: Cie le vie...it was fun while it lasted._**

 ** _Yao: Indeed. We had a good run, aru._**

 ** _Amethyst: Wow. You guys are totally cool with this. I'm impressed. I was expecting the whole "Morgans an ass but we still need to get to class" thing to start up again._**

 ** _Kiku: Perhaps my repeated explanations about how they are nothing more then pawns in your game helped to convince them?_**

 ** _Amethyst: *Glances over at dejected students* Nah. I think they're trying to guilt me into writing a sixth story._**

 ** _Alfred: *Snaps fingers* She figured us out! Dammit! Plan B!_**

 ** _Entire academy: MORGANS AN ASS BUT WE STILL NEED TO GET TO CLASS!_**

 ** _Amethyst: Figures. Just do the thing._**

 ** _Entire academy: NO WAY!_**

 ** _Amethyst: ...thats it. *Laptop magic commences*_**

 ** _Entire Academy: *Goes flying out of the sign off room*_**

 ** _Amethyst: Well, here we are. Just me and you guys. Now, lets have a heart to heart here, ok? Yeah. Bring it in. Ok, lets be honest here. I'm posting a poll on my profile tonight after this chapter goes up with the titles and short summaries of the stories I am considering doing next. One of them just so happens to a a 6th installment for Hetalia Academy, so if you really REALLY wanna see another one, I'd be more then happy to write it if you go and vote! Guests that read this story, unfortunately, cannot vote, so let me know in your review what story you would like to see! So go check it out! Well, thats a wrap everyone, good talk! We'll be seeing each other again soon, so, one last time, please favorite, please follow, and please review! Thanks once more for following the adventures of the students of Hetalia Academy!_**


	20. Fugitive

**_Amethyst: Hey, everyone!_**

 ** _Entire Academy: NOOOOO!  
_**

 ** _Amethyst: ...what?_**

 ** _Rome: You're going to bring Morgan back from the dead AGAIN aren't you?_**

 ** _Amethyst: *Blinks* Well, duh. But not right now. I've made my decision on what stories to work on._**

 ** _Rome: ...this worries me..._**

 ** _Amethyst: *Rolls eyes* Shut up and let me talk. Hello everyone! Just wanted to let you know, I've concluded the poll, and the votes are largely LARGELY in favor of a sixth Call us Hetalia. But, to be totally honest, at this moment, I just don't feel like I can crank out another quality story in this universe. I love it to bits, its one of my favorite things to work on, and I wouldn't want it to be tainted by a story I forced myself to write. I always write for fun, and right now, the whole Super Spy AU really isn't my game._**

 ** _Mathias: What does that even mean?_**

 ** _Amethyst: It means you're getting your sequel, but I'm gonna write something else first. This is a story I've been working on for a long time, like, almost a year. I've poured a lot of time into getting it ready because it's an AU I've wanted to do ever since I set up shop here on fanfiction. It received the second most amount of votes at the poll. It's called Fugitive, and it's a Magical Creature, Modern day, Realize your inner power, Be proud of who you are, Mish Mash of stuff. Practically everyone in Hetalia will be in it at one point or another. I'm working on it currently, and soon I'll be taking a two week long hiatus from writing because I have some places to go and some people to see._**

 ** _Alfred: But yes to sequel?_**

 ** _Amethyst: GEEZ YES! Just not right now! Fugitive has just hit the site! Updates should be frequent. Maybe...hopefully...never mind that I can't plan worth a crap anyway. I'm really really hoping Fugitive will get a good reaction on the site because I did a ton of research to make it as accurate as possible and shout out to Mondmaedechen, my friend, who assisted me so so so much in the research! Thanks so much, May-chan! It'll have a similar 'this is our community, our family, our friends, our home!' type vibe to it as Call us Hetalia does, so please, I would greatly appreciate it if you guys would go and look it up, seeing as this will be to story I will be focusing mostly on for the next few weeks! As always, thank you for reading Call me Immortal, and for following the Call us Hetalia series, and I will see you all in the next story! *P.S I plan to do a sign off room for Fugitive as well so if you wanna see that...heh heh heh... XD*_**


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